How Is This Love?
by Hitoezakura
Summary: AU [AoshiKaoru] Opposites attract, right? But how can two secret agents possibly fall in love when one despises love to its very core, and the other believes love is the most amazing emotion in the world? Will love prevail, or will they forever be foes?
1. Prologue: Opposite Opinions

**Disclaimer - I do not own Kenshin whatsoever. I do own this story idea (unless someone else also has this story idea. In that case, I partly own this story idea).**

**Anyways, for any of my previous reviewers, this is not part of my series. This is an AU fic (my first one) and it is also an alternate pairing. It's an Aoshi X Kaoru fic, one of my favorite pairings! Other pairings might appear, but I haven't planned it out yet, so that's a surprise for both you and me!**

**Alright, you read the summary, you know the gist, so I'm going to shut up and let you read the prologue!

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HOW IS THIS LOVE?

Prologue

**Kaoru POV**

When I was seven, my parents once told me that I could reach for the stars if I believed in myself. They told me that I could obtain happiness by trying to see the positive qualities in people rather than focus on the negative aspects of their demeanor. They told me that trust, friendship, and love were three of the most important bonds in the world – bonds that would determine your life and happiness.

They died only a year later in a tragic car crash. I still miss them terribly, and I still do cry when thinking about them, but I feel no betrayal. I know that their love can reach me, even from the heavens, and I don't think that anyone can prove to me that their love is nonexistent.

After all, that's what love is. Love is the wind in the air that caresses my cheeks. Love is the beautiful spring flowers, waiting to bloom. Love is that bond that is not only created by the tangible aspects of human beings, but of the intangible emotions that we express.

Not only that, but love is friendship. No one can ever love another person until they become friends. Love is trust, for there is no friendship without trust. Love is the emotion that brings life to happy couples, brings joy to a couple's lives, eliminates the sorrows from a depressed person. How can anyone hate an emotion so pure and beautiful?

Love is a life-sustaining emotion…

**Aoshi POV**

I remember during my high school days that my annoying teacher…what was his name? Oh, that's right – Himura sensei! Himura sensei once asked us to write a paper in English class. His topic? What is love?

Obviously, his engagement with the Math teacher Yukishiro-sensei suddenly caused him to spout off about love and create a whole English unit dedicated to love.

What is love? Love's betrayal, pure and simple. I remember smirking as my friends got dumped by their numerous girlfriends, and how those girls would go around dating any guy until the most popular guys came into their grasp. The moment they saw the opportunity to raise their status, it was "Goodbye old boyfriend!" and "Hello status-raising boyfriend!" It was almost laughable to see my friends make the same mistakes over and over again.

Oh sure, I've had my occasional flings. I would be a nerd if I hadn't at least made out with some girl. But love? Love is a lie, and I'm not a liar, so of course I won't love anybody.

What good has ever come out of love anyways? Romeo and Juliet both kill themselves, Oedipus goes crazy and gouges his eyes out, and all those other Greek and Shakespearean tragedies. The only good aspect of love is reproduction, and thanks to the sharp increase in the world population, that advantage is diminishing.

Love is nothing but a pack of lies and falseness…

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**Do you like it so far? Please review, and if you want to make any suggestions for the future, please do so? However, I am sorry in advance if I do not use your suggestions, but that doesn't mean I hate you!**

**So please review, and Ja ne for now!**

**(Also, if you have the time, could you read and review my other stories? That would be so wonderful, but if you don't want to, then you don't have to)**


	2. Isn't Life Wonderful?

**Disclaimer - I own Kenshin, lalalalala la!  
Aoshi - Coughs politely and unsheaths kodachis  
****Hitoezakura - Geez, I don't own Kenshin, but one day, when I learn how to use a sword...  
**

**Alright, then, thank you, my first reviewers!  
****TimeWarper - I have myideas about how the two will get together, so you'll just have to wait  
WhiteRabbit5 - Thank you so much! I've loved your fanfics, and it's an honor to recieve such a wonderful review from you!  
Kaede11 - Thank you for the compliment! I always love good reviews!  
Mori'quessir - I'm going on your favs? I'm so honored!  
Alexis Barnes - I'm updating, so don't worry!  
Weezhart - Thank you for the compliment, and you'll just have to remain curious about how the relationship between Aoshi and Kaoru will develop...  
mistressofhyde - Thank you! I love compliments!  
cutiema-chan - Thank you for the compliment! Thanks for calling me cool too!**

**Alright, now for some quick things about this story. This is going to be quite a bit longer than any of my other stories (I'm sorry all you people who like short stories!). Secondly, it's going to be slow updating, since my high school AP exams are in a month (and like an idiot, I signed up for SAT IIs at the same time...). Thirdly, it was actually a spur of the moment fanfic! However, I did spend a few hours thinking about the course of this story, and I added one major twist to this story...you'll figure it out at the end of the chapter...**

**And if any of you are fans of romance fics, you could try reading my series (you don't have to, so don't feel obligated!).**

**I must be boring you now! Read on and hopefully, you'll enjoy it!**

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**HOW IS THIS LOVE?**

**Chapter 1 - Isn't Life Wonderful?**

"Lights! Camera! And…action!"

Arimate Minako flipped her beautiful golden hair back and propped both her elbows on one of the tables of Takimi Café, resting her chin on her hands as she stared into Kagushi Ryou's deep blue eyes.

"So" she whispered softly, her lips curving into a smug and pleased smile. "I've enjoyed spending these last few nights with you. Every minute of the day reminds me of you. When shall we meet again?"

Ryou ran his hand through his black bangs before turning to Minako with a cold smile.

"Never. I'm sick of you."

Minako's eyes widened with shock and tears began to fill her eyes as she stared at Ryou in horror.

"Never?" she managed to choke out. Ryou simply nodded and reached over to drink his cup of coffee.

SPLASH!

Ryou glared at Minako angrily as the burning hot coffee spread across his clothes, enveloping the usually clean and crisp t-shirts and pants with a large brown stain. Minako glared back just as angrily before throwing his now empty cup of coffee onto the floor, shattering the fragile ceramic cup to pieces.

"What was that for?" asked Ryou coolly.

"You can't just dump me!" shrieked Minako, her voice causing the heads of the customers and waiters of the Café to turn towards her in outrage and shock. "I love you, and you can't say you don't love me! No one can resist me!"

"You love me?" asked Ryou, a smile surfacing his face. He suddenly broke out into crazed laughter. Minako stared at him as if he had suddenly become crazy, and the customers tried to ignore the loud couple, a look of disgust surfacing their faces as they realized their peaceful evening had just been ruined.

Ryou managed to stop laughing as he spoke to Minako. "You love me? That's the most ridiculous comment I have ever heard from your mouth!"

Minako's eyes sparked with anger and her hand suddenly shot out. But before she could make contact with Ryou's cheek, his powerful grip held her hand immobile.

"Don't you dare try to slap me" whispered Ryou, his voice dangerously low. "You know that what I'm saying is completely true. Not once have you said you loved me until now, and that too, only after I threw my money around and bought you lavish gifts. Face it, you love my power and my money rather than me!"

Minako flipped her hair and smiled slightly, her lips curving into a sad and weak smile. "That's true, I did like your power and your money. That was the first reason I decided to try to go out with you. But Ryou, do you think anyone could ever fall in love with you? You, Mr.Kagushi, are an emotionless man, a man who doesn't believe in true love!"

Minako's eyes filled with tears again, but she made no move to wipe them away.

"I tried" she continued. "To open your heart. Yes, I was selfish, and I probably wouldn't have stayed with you if you hadn't thrown around your money for me, but I tried to fall in love with you. I tried to make this experience beneficial for both you and me! I wanted the money, you wanted the love, and that was what I tried to do! But you don't accept love! You don't even think it exists!"

"Of course it doesn't!" muttered Ryou. "Tell me, what good has come out of love? Reproduction? Oh sure, because this world is lacking people! Betrayal? Oh yeah, I want to be dumped by you when you see another guy and chase after him for his power and money! The lies? Right, I want to hear you say you love me when you just love my assets!"

Minako's eyes sparked with anger once again, and she slammed a few bills on the table.

"Here's my money for this stupid coffee of yours!" she shrieked angrily. "I don't ever want to see you again! However, I know that I will laugh when I see you walking down the streets alone, because with your attitude, there will be no one who will ever fall in love with you!"

She whirled around and stormed out of the Café, her heels clicking against the marble floors. Ryou threw a few more bills on the table before slipping his shades on and walking away.

"Cut!" called out the director.

* * *

Aoshi threw his shades to Kaya, who laughed before tossing the shades back into a box labeled "props".

"Excellent job Aoshi!" called out Kaya. "You're doing well with your character Ryou!"

_That's because I have the same beliefs as Ryou…what good is love? _

"And you make an excellent Minako" said Aoshi calmly with a nod before walking away into his trailer.

"Aoshi-san?"

Aoshi turned to see Okon, his agent, sitting on his couch, a few forms in her hands. He groaned inwardly.

_Every time I have received forms, it has never been good luck…what are these forms for now?_

"Yes?" asked Aoshi coolly, holding out his hand to receive the forms. Okon smiled softly and forked over the forms.

"There is no need to worry" said Okon with a small wink as Aoshi thumbed through the numerous papers. "This isn't about anything particularly serious. However, you do need to transfer to a different university. The director wishes to film the next few scenes in Tokyo, and therefore, he decided that you should transfer to Tokyo University."

"What about Kaya-san?" asked Aoshi, quickly heading over to his computer to check his email. He quickly scanned the messages list until he found the one he was looking for, and then printed it out.

"Kaya-san has no need to worry" replied Omasu, the young agent who represented Kaya. She smiled apologetically.

"I'm sorry I eavesdropped" said Omasu. "However, to answer your question, Kaya-san's family lives in Tokyo, so she's going to stay with them. She's already a student of Tokyo University, so there is currently no need for her to transfer."

"You'll be staying at the Aoiya" said Okon with a grin. "Think about it Aoshi! You'll be reunited with Misao-chan again!"

Aoshi smiled ever so slightly upon hearing Misao's name as he tucked the printed paper into the pocket of his trenchcoat, which was hanging from a hook on the back of the door.

_She was the only person who saw me smile a true smile…she's like a little sister to me…but will my living nearby her put her in danger?_

"Okon-"

"Okina already thought about that Aoshi" said Okon solemnly. "He thought that you and Kaya-san deserve to take a break and live with family for a few months."

"That's true" said Aoshi quietly, slipping on his black turtleneck and simple blue jeans before he pulled on his trenchcoat. "I'll sign the forms when I come back from dinner."

"You and Kaya?" said Omasu with a grin. Aoshi almost glared at Omasu, his blue eyes turning ice-cold.

"We're friends, nothing more" said Aoshi shortly. "I don't love her. We're just having dinner, an essential meal."

"Fine" replied Okon with a sigh. "Omasu and I will be filling out the forms so that all you guys have to do is sign them."

Aoshi nodded his thanks and then swept out of the trailer.

* * *

"Aoshi-san, what's on your mind?" asked Kaya with a smile, using her chopsticks to pick up a piece of beef from the sukiyaki as they sat in his private apartment. Being famous actors, they couldn't go to any restaurant without being pestered or recognized. So almost every night, they would wear disguises and come to Aoshi's secret apartment for dinner.

_I know Omasu and Okon think I'll fall in love with her…but I'm not in love with her, and I never will be! She's a good friend, and nothing more!_

Aoshi simply shook his head and concentrated on the question Kaya had asked him a few seconds earlier.

"After two years, we finally get to go back to Tokyo…Does Misao even recognize me anymore?" said Aoshi quietly. Kaya sighed and placed her chopsticks down before taking Aoshi's hand.

"Aoshi-san, it'll be alright" said Kaya with a grin. "She adores you, so I'm sure she recognizes you! How could she forget that you raised her when your parents died? How could she forget that you treated her like a sister, never like an adopted girl? How could she forget that you helped her out of every situation when she kept mouthing off to bullies? She couldn't Aoshi, and I know that Misao will greet you with a hug the moment she sees you!"

Aoshi nodded and proceeded to eat his sukiyaki. Kaya smiled once again, but her smile fell the moment Aoshi's question rang out through the air.

"Are you happy with this kind of life Kaya-san?"

Kaya's head jerked up instantly, her eyes wide and surprised. She fiddled with the chopsticks before finally answering.

"Not entirely…" she whispered softly, her eyes slightly watery. "I don't like being away from my family, and I don't like thinking that when I'm near my family, I'm putting them in danger…but we're the only two who can do this Aoshi. Everyone else has their families, or they're too young…I had to do this…"

A moment of silence ensued before Aoshi reached into the pocket of his trenchcoat.

"Okina sent me an email today evening" said Aoshi quietly. Kaya's eyes widened with surprise once again.

"What is it about?" asked Kaya softly, placing her chopsticks down on the side, her plate almost completely empty. Aoshi sighed.

"There are going to be some parties that we have to attend in Tokyo, so Okina told us to be on the lookout" replied Aoshi.

"Do you really think that this is going to work?" asked Kaya worriedly. "I know the Japanese government received a threat from someone who claimed they would take over the nation, and I know it was an extremely serious threat too, but can the two of us really find out who is behind this just because we're actors?"

"We became actors simply to be given the opportunity to mingle with the elite" replied Aoshi, setting down his chopsticks to signify the end of his meal. "When we speak to the elite, at least we might have a sense of who sent the threat and why. Then we can inform Okina and take the necessary action."

Kaya sighed, but smiled sarcastically. "Our life is wonderful, isn't it?" she asked.

"The life of a secret agent truly is amazing" answered Aoshi, a sarcastic smile adorning his face as well.

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**Author's notes**

**Alright, so Kaya and Aoshi are indeed secret agents. If you didn't understand what I said in the fanfic, they became actors so that they could mingle with high-class people. They figured that one of them made the threat, and when they find out who, the government can decide what to do!  
Note - Kaya doesn't think Aoshi likes her...she's just very friendly, and they both are fairly good friends. Also Aoshi's a bit out of character, but I had to make him speak a bit more than he usually does!  
I know, this is going pretty slow, but the next chapter does have Kaoru, Sano, Misao, Enishi, and Megumi! So I'm hoping the next chapter goes well.  
As for pairings, well, you'll figure out the other pairings as the fic goes on!**

**I'm leaving now, so please take the time to review the fanfic! Thank you for reading and reviewing, and Ja ne!**


	3. Bringing Everyone Together

**Disclaimer - I can't believe it! I am now the proud owner of Rurouni Kenshin!  
****  
The whole cast stares.  
Aoshi - You have got to be kidding me...  
Kenshin - Shall we do it?  
The cast nods, and everyone pulls out their weapons and points them at Hitoezakura.**

**New Disclaimer - I don't own Kenshin, and I'm pretty sure everyone knows that by now...**

**Anyways, responses to reviewers!**

**Cutie machan - That's so sweet! I love compliments!**

Mori'quesser - Thank you...but I actually have a very strong fear of bugs (I run away from them screaming), so perhaps that is a very optimal form of torture. Thank you for the compliment!

Bradybunch4529 - I have my plans for when Aoshi and Kaoru shall get together, but since it's me, and since I'm working on a whole new plot for this story rather than working off old ones...well, it's going to take a little while (plus, my chapters are short).

WhiteRabbit5 - I never figured that it would happen, but I ended up liking Kaya a lot! So I took the effort to kind of weave her into my current plot plans...you'll figure out later (hint - Do you know a character named Soushi Okita?) And thank you for pointing out that mistake! I have yet to correct it (I'm really slow with this, and computers/technology are not my best areas), but I will be sure to!

**Anonymous - I suck? I don't mean to be rude, but the least you could've done was give me a reason for why I suck? I accept negative comments, but only when you actually support them with actual facts! So if you happen to read this fic again, could you please tell me why I suck?**

**AUTHOR ALERT!  
****To all my readers - I will not be updating again till the middle of June, because I have too many tests going on between now and June. I'm so sorry! However, I will be sure to update as much as I can duringthe summer, so please don't abandon me!**

**This chapter concentrates on other characters, so enjoy! It's a severe contrast from the previous chapter, but I tend to jump around during scene changes, and sorry to upset most of you, but Kaoru and Aoshi will not meet during this chapter (they won't meet for two/three more chapters, because there are plots intertwined in this story). However, I hope you still enjoy!

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HOW IS THIS LOVE?

Chapter Three: Bringing Everyone Together

"One sukiyaki, Kaoru!" yelled out Tae, the owner of the Akabeko, one of the most popular restaurants in Tokyo. "Tell that to Minami!"

"Sure thing!" called out Kamiya Kaoru, skating by on the roller skates some moron had suggested all the waitresses wear. Her black hair trailed behind her, and for a moment, her sapphire eyes were filled with contempt as she thought about the moron's suggestion for putting waitresses on roller skates

_Wait till I find out who that moron is! I had to spend so much time with Misao just to figure out how to keep my balance on these damn skates!_

"Minami, make a sukiyaki!" said Kaoru hurriedly as she skated by the petite blond.

"Ok, but could you deliver this to those gentlemen over there?" said Minami urgently, pushing the tray into Kaoru's hands as she pointed to a table in the distance. Kaoru's eyes widened and she did a double-take.

_What are they doing here? Is something wrong? _

Kaoru quickly regained her composure and gave Minami a quick smile before making her way to the familiar people at that table.

"One plain hot soba, one chilled soba with vegetables, two sakes, and a platter of onigiri" replied Kaoru with a smile, showing no sign of familiarity to the two people. "Anything else?"

"Please tell me you didn't cook this tanuki" replied the taller man at the table, his amber orbs eying the food apprehensively. Kaoru's eyes sparked with anger, and the sudden urge to pull on the four strands of hair that fell in front of his face was unbearable, when she suddenly felt a hand on her arm.

"Don't mind Saitou, Kaoru-dono" said the shorter man, his amethyst eyes calm and cheerful. His bright red hair shone in the sunlight that poured through the windows of the restaurant. "However…did you actually cook this?"

"No" replied Kaoru with a smile. Both men sighed with relief, causing Kaoru's anger to rise. Hajime Saitou jabbed Himura Kenshin with a chopstick, trying to warn the poor man about Kaoru's rage, but it was of no use.

"Kenshin no baka!" said Kaoru angrily, banging the tray down on poor Kenshin's head. Just before Kenshin fell back into his chair with swirly eyes, his hand slipped into Kaoru's pocket. Kaoru's eyes widened and she skated off, leaving Kenshin with a large bump on his head.

"Oro…" muttered Kenshin, rubbing his head to ease the pain. Saitou shook his head exasperatedly.

"If only you knew how to deal with women" muttered Saitou. "How you got married to Tomoe-san is beyond me, and how you got her pregnant is a miracle to be praised."

"I could say the same for you!" countered Kenshin indignantly. "Tokio-dono must be a bodhisattva to have married you!"

Saitou simply chose to ignore the comment and instead took a bite of his soba. "Did you put it in her pocket?" asked Saitou.

"Yes" replied Kenshin. "But I see no reason for me to have undergone that abuse just to give her that slip. Misao-dono would've told her this evening anyways."

"The fact that Okina is calling all of us means that something new is going to happen" explained Saitou calmly, sipping a bit of his sake before returning to the soba.

"Then perhaps the next time we have to inform Kaoru-dono, you should be the one to get hit!" muttered Kenshin. Saitou gave a short bark of laughter before returning to his soba.

"That's your job Battousai" said Saitou with a grin. "You give up the name of the assassin and people aren't afraid of you anymore…so of course you're perfect for this job!"

Saitou calmly continued to eat his soba as Kenshin fumed angrily.

Kaoru skated into the bathroom as soon as the second waitress, a tall, red-haired woman named Naoko, announced her arrival. She ran into one of the stalls and quickly procured the slip of paper from her pocket.

'Kamiya – Report to the Aoiya at six o'clock today – Okina.'

Kaoru pulled out her lighter and burned the slip to a crisp before throwing the ashes into the trash and skating out of the bathroom.

_Something is going to happen today…but what?

* * *

_

"Hey, I want a beer!" yelled out a man playing pool in the corner of the Shirobeko, one of the most popular clubs in Tokyo.

"Hey Shiroto, here's the beer" called out Sagara Sanosuke, emerging from behind the counter and running his hands through his spiky, rooster-like hair before spinning the bottle, popping it open, and sliding it over on the counter to the man.

"That girl's cute" muttered one of the men at the counter, staring at a woman with her hair tied up in a bun, her dark eyes narrowed as she defeated yet another man at a gambling game. Yukishiro Enishi was thankful for his sunglasses; he was afraid his turquoise eyes would betray the laughter that was threatening to surface.

_This guy thinks Shura is cute? Perhaps I shouldn't tell him that she had only one crush in her lifetime – and that man is happily married to my dear sister Tomoe? Or…maybe I should have fun with this…didn't Sanosuke get beat up when he teased Shura by saying he'd date her?_

"You should buy her a drink" said Enishi coolly, running a hand through his spiky white-gray hair. "Girls love it when you buy them a drink."

"Really?" asked the guy with a grin on his face. "Give her a blackberry daiquiri, on me! Can't wait to get her in bed!"

Enishi quickly prepared the drink and jabbed Sanosuke in the side with his elbow as he walked to the counter, causing Sanosuke to turn around angrily.

"What was that for?" asked Sanosuke furiously. Enishi pointed to Shura and then to the man.

"Just wait and see my friend" said Enishi with a grin, setting the drink on the couner. "Shura! This gentleman's ordered you a blackberry daiquiri!" He slid it down the counter towards Shura

Shura caught the glass just before it toppled to the ground and set it on the table. She walked up to the man with a sweet smile, sat down in front of him, and placed her hand on his cheek. The man grinned and began to move closer, his hands inching towards her.

"Three…two…one…and now!" whispered Sanosuke, a big grin growing on his face.

SLAP!

Shura walked away, sipping the blackberry daiquiri as the man nursed his swollen cheek in his hand before slapping a few bills down on the counter and leaving the club. Enishi and Sanosuke laughed hard as the disappeared behind the counter.

"That's always worth a laugh!" said Sanosuke cheerfully. Enishi grinned and pushed up his shades when he suddenly heard the swish of a cape.

_That sound…it's familiar…_

Both he and Sanosuke turned around to see a muscular man standing in front of them, his black hair in a long ponytail. Enishi's eyes widened slightly behind the glasses, but he simply turned around, grabbed a bottle of sake, and threw it over to the newcomer, whose hand shot out to catch the sake that was so beloved to him.

"So?" asked Sanosuke. "What the hell are you doing here Hiko?"

"Hiko-san to you" muttered Seijuurou Hiko, sipping his sake. "Anyways, just dropped by to get this sake". He pulled out a few bills and tossed them on the counter before walking away. Enishi thumbed through them to find a slip of paper.

"What's that?" asked Sanosuke, pulled out his lighter and a single cigarette. Enishi shrugged and unraveled it.

'Sagara and Yukishiro – Report to the Aoiya at six o'clock today. Send Sagara to tell Megumi to report too. – Okina.'

"What's this about?" muttered Enishi, handing the slip to Sano, who burned it with his lighter before lighting his cigarette.

"Have no clue, but looks like I'll be seeing my foxy lady today" said Sanosuke with a grin, causing Enishi to sigh exasperatedly.

"You have asked her for four years straight to date you, and not once have you been successful!" muttered Enishi, but his words remained unheard as Sanosuke remained lost in his fantasies. Enishi finally just threw his hands up in the air and left.

* * *

"Dr. Takani!"

The pretty doctor turned around, her ebony hair tied back with a kerchief and her maroon eyes questioning the nurse that had come behind her.

"What is it Mia-san?" asked Megumi quietly. Mia-san smiled cheerfully.

"Oh Dr. Takani, you need to smile more! Anyways, you have a visitor, and he is so cute! You're a pretty lucky woman!"

_It's five-thirty! It's the end of my shift, and some visitor just happens to come right now! I am going to kill that visitor…_

Megumi rolled her eyes and walked into her office to see a tall figure sitting in her chair, the tips of his spiky hair unable to be concealed by the back of the chair. She shut the door behind her and sat down in front of him before breaking the silence.

"Why hello Sano no baka" said Megumi sweetly, reaching over and mussing his spiky hair ever so slightly. Sano's hand shot out and he walked around the desk before pulling Megumi against him, causing her to stumble into his arms.

"Hello foxy lady" whispered Sanosuke, his deep voice causing Megumi to giggle and placed a kiss upon his cheek. "How did you like my wonderful surprise greeting?"

"It's unexpected, but perfectly welcome" said Megumi. "However, I know that this is no greeting, and that we probably have reservations at the Aoiya, don't we?"

Sanosuke grinned sheepishly.

_Reservations at the Aoiya – our code for a meeting with Okina…she figured it out way too quickly._

"Yes, we do have reservations" replied Sanosuke. "But think about it! It's a thirty minute drive to the Aoiya, and during the ride, we could-"

"Keep our eyes on the road so that we don't crash!" finished Megumi, her fox ears popping up as she watched Sano's face sink into depression. "Come on rooster, we better get there sometime today."

"How about if the road in front of us is perfectly straight, and I don't even need to touch the steering wheel? Then can we-"

"No."

"How about-"

"No, Sano no baka!"

"But Enishi thinks I can never make you fall in love with me at all! At least give me some kind of pleasure during our secret dating trial period!"

"Sano, two months is almost over! After that, you can rub it in Enishi's face! Until then, keep this relationship a secret!"

"Alright, but you know, if we drive at sixty miles per hour, we'll reach the Aoiya with ten minutes to spare. Do you think during that time-"

"No, Sano no baka, I will not do it in a car!"

* * *

"Soushi! You have a visitor!"

A young boy turned around, his dark brown hair falling into his eyes. He pushed it back, revealing extremely dark blue eyes. The smile on his face seemed permanently plastered on as he stood up and walked into the visitors office. His smile grew wider upon seeing the visitor.

"What are you doing here?" asked Soushi Okita, his eyes twinkling with happiness as he hugged the woman that stood in front of him. Her crystal blue eyes were just as happy as his, and her long black hair was neatly tied into a bun. She smiled and motioned for Okita to sit.

"I'm finally back from China after researching our newest case" replied the woman with a sigh of exhaustion. "And I couldn't find Hajime, so I figured that I should visit you! How have you been Okita-kun?" asked the woman with a smile.

"I've been fine Tokio-san" replied Okita cheerfully. "But I figured that Saitou-san would've at least greeted you after not seeing you for two months…he seemed to miss you."

"He did?" asked Saitou Tokio with a laugh.

"Yeah, but that's partly because neither he nor I can cook…" Okita trailed off, a sheepish grin on his face.

"That's my husband for you" replied Tokio with a shake of her head. "Anyways, getting off that subject, I came here for an important reason. We're to go to the Aoiya at six o'clock, so I'm getting a ride with you. I'm way too tired to drive right now!"

"Sure thing Tokio-san, let's go!" said Okita happily, grabbing his car keys and pulling her out the door. "I can't stand doing any more paperwork for this office!"

* * *

Okina stared at his documents and then glanced at the watch, which read 5:55.

_They're all coming here…and Aoshi and Kaya are coming tomorrow…soon, the whole team will be reunited…

* * *

_

**Author's Notes**

**So, has anyone been able to figure out how all of them are related? And what Okina means by the whole team?**

**Alright, I have a few ideas in my head about what will happen in the future of this fanfic, but all of you will have to wait till June! I'm so sorry!**

**Please Review! And don't kill me if you hate me for not updating sooner!**


	4. Preparations

**Disclaimer - Shhhh...Don't tell anyone, but I stole the copyright for Kenshin! I am now the proud owner of Rurouni Kenshin! Please congratulate me!  
Saitou - You're not very quiet...  
Hitoezakura - What are you doing here?  
Saitou - You're under arrest for violating the copyrightlaws. Watsuki is the proud owner of Rurouni Kenshin, and you are just a thief! I will subject you to my justice - Aku Soku Zan!  
Hitoezakura - I drewa picture of you in math class, and you look very handsome in it  
Saitou - Alright, screw arresting you...**

**Disclaimer - I don't own Kenshin, it should be pretty obvious by now...**

**Well, I'm finally done with AP Exams, but now I feel so lazy that I don't want to do any work for my finals! I'm hoping that posting this story will kind of re-energize me again!**

**Thank you to all my reviewers!**

**Lili125 - Thank you for the compliment! **

**WhiteRabbit5 - Thanks! I have to admit, I'm not the biggest Sano Megumi fan, but after watching the anime, I do feel like they have a connection, and I thought that scene was pretty cute! Yes, you are right about Okita and Kaya, although I'm still wondering exactly how to weave their relationship into the story. They make a much bigger appearance in the sequel...wait,I didn't say that!**

**Anime pixie - Thanks! I like it when people think my story is awesome! Makes me feel special (until my family starts yelling at me about the disorder that is my room...)**

**iNuyAshasAma1 - Thanks! I'll keep writing, but it'll be kind of slow...I'mhoping to find a job for the summer...**

**Bradybunch4529 - Thanks! I couldn't help but make a Kaoru Kenshin scene, despite the fact he's married to Tomoe. But I imagined that it would seem appropriate. In the future, you find out how Kaoru and Kenshin became friends, but not in this chapter.**

**Goldmund - Yes, I love that sentence of Aoshi...oh, and they were shooting a movie! You'll find out more about it later, because I actually do show many more clips of that movie...and Aoshi describes it in one chapter in the future! Thank you for your reviews!**

**And onto the story! It's slow, but I will include some secret missions eventually!**

* * *

** HOW IS THIS LOVE?**

Okina glanced at the grandfather clock that stood in the corner of the living room, staring as the minute hand finally moved towards the twelve, and the chimes rang out in the empty silence.

_Empty silence? What in Kami's name is Misao doing? How is the Aoiya so silent while she still sits in the room upstairs?_

He suddenly heard the doorbell ring, and he immediately rushed to the door and opened it to greet the five college students that stood on his doorstep. "Welcome! Welcome!" called out Okina happily, greeting Kaoru, Megumi, Sanosuke, Enishi, and Okita as they stepped into the Aoiya. "Misao has her plans for you upstairs!"

"Wait a minute, wasn't there supposed to be a meeting-"

"Hurry!" yelled Okina, cutting Sanosuke off. "Misao has no patience, and Okita, I think you'll be fairly interested in her plans! So go upstairs now!"

Sanosuke was about to protest again when Kaoru jabbed him in the side hard.

"Geez Jou-chan, that hurt!" yelled Sanosuke. Kaoru however, paid no attention to him and instead focused on the sight behind Okina. Sano's eyes followed hers to see Kenshin, Saitou, Tokio, Hiko, Tomoe, and little baby Kenji making their way downstairs silently. Sanosuke slumped slightly, but he nodded back at Kaoru, agreeing to abstain from complaining.

"Alright old man, we'll go to Misao" replied Sanosuke with a sigh of defeat. The five of them trooped up the stairs, and Okina disappeared downstairs.

"So why do you think he called us?" whispered Sanosuke. Megumi tapped her chin thoughtfully for a moment.

"I think he wants to distract Misao while he has a meeting with Ken-san and the others" murmured Megumi. "But what could he possibly want to talk about that requires everyone's presence?"  
"Okina will tell us when the time is right" whispered Kaoru.

"If we don't hurry, Misao will spot us, and we'll have a load of explaining to do…" whispered Okita urgently. "I don't want to explain to her why Aoshi and Okina thought it was best to hide this whole secret agent situation from her!"

Kaoru, Megumi, and Sanosuke promptly shut their mouths and made their way up the stairs.

* * *

"So why have you called us Okina?" asked Kenshin quietly. "And where are Hanya, Beshimi, Hyottoko, Shikijou, Shiro, and Kuro?"

"They're all training" replied Okina shortly, rummaging through his desk before unearthing a folder filled with documents. "However, I have my reasons for calling you all together. I'm sorry to trouble you Tomoe-san, but I felt like I needed your opinion on this."

"That's perfectly fine Okina-san" replied Tomoe with a slight smile. "Kenji has been quite sleepy lately, and it's no trouble at all to spend a few hours at the headquarters."

"How about you Tokio-san? Are you feeling upto a discussion today?" asked Okina. Tokio simply smiled and brushed some loose hairs back from her bun.

"I'm fine Okina-san. A bit tired, but I'll be alright after I get some sleep tomorrow" answered Tokio. "I would just like to know what you called us here for."

Okina smiled and opened the folder gingerly, spreading the documents over the table. Kenshin peered over at them and then looked at Okina with shocked eyes.

"You want to recruit a new secret agent?" asked Kenshin warily. "Why now?"

"I believe there are enough people right now" said Saitou calmly. "Omasu, Okon, Aoshi, and Kaya are all in Kyoto, Hanya, Beshimi, Shiro, Kuro, Hyttoko, and Shikijou are going through extra training in Nagasaki, all of us down here with the exception of Battousai's wife and son are secret agents, and you've got the kids upstairs!"

"I agree with my husband" replied Tokio. "I don't think anymore recruits are necessary."

Okina rubbed his forehead gently before speaking.

"Did any of you know that four years ago, the Sekihotai agency's leader died?

All five heads shot up in surprise.

"Sagara Souzou died four years ago?" replied Tokio in surprise.

"How did that happen?" asked Hiko, sipping some sake quietly. "And how has his agency been running for the last four years?"

"Sagara was assassinated, and all the clues point to an assassination committed by one of his confidantes" said Okina quietly. "His agency has been running due to one of his adopted children, a young girl named Sagara Miyana. She is the one I want to recruit for our agency. Don't you think she will be a great asset to the Hiten Agency?"

Okina pulled out a photo from the depths of the folder and slid it onto the table. Kenshin, Tokio, Saitou, Tomoe, and Hiko looked at the photo to see a young girl looking up at them, her deep sapphire-amethyst eyes holding sadness but also determination, and her long black hair tumbling down her back. Kenshin looked at Hiko to see his shishou's eyes widen ever so slightly before turning away with indifference.

_Shishou…what did you see in this girl? What made you widen your eyes?_

"What about her past?" asked Tomoe softly. "Do you think she has the training?"

"Miyana trained to become a secret agent under Sagara for six years, and prior to that, she had five years in swordsmanship training" continued Okina. "However, after Sagara's assassination, she immediately took over as head of the agency, and actually did quite well for a sixteen-year-old. When she turned nineteen, she was caught in a scandal, and after the scandal, her own agents turned against her. She paid off all the debts, relocated her agents and managed to secure jobs for them, and just two weeks ago, sold off the agency."

"What was the scandal about?" asked Tokio. Okina shrugged.

"It doesn't say on the paper, but the latest happenings of the Sagara agency were never hot news, and were barely looked into. However, the agency didn't want to risk being blacklisted, so they covered up the scandal pretty well. But the agents were no longer willing to work for her after that scandal" said Okina grimly. "Anyways, I've invited her to the Aoiya tomorrow, so you could interrogate her and decide whether she is fit for this agency or not."

No one noticed Saitou's eyes narrow with distaste and hatred as he stared at the young girl's photograph.

"Hey, this says she's only twenty!" whispered Tomoe, surprised. "Okina-san, you don't let anyone under twenty-one work as a secret agent. You're keeping this whole agency a secret from Misao because she's only nineteen, and you didn't allow Kaoru or Megumi on missions for a year because they were twenty when they discovered this agency!"

"I know, I'm stretching it with this girl" said Okina softly. "But Sagara was a dear friend of mine, and this is one of his most loyal children we are talking about…How can I not help her?"

The room fell silent for a few minutes. Finally, Saitou stood up with a sigh.

"We'll interrogate this Miyana" he said. "However, it is up to you Okina, to distract all the younger agents while we interrogate her."

"I already have" said Okina with a grin. "You see, Aoshi, Kaya, Okon, and Omasu are coming back to Tokyo for some of the filming. The kids can greet them and pick them up from the airport during your interrogation."

"Then it's settled" said Kenshin. "We'll come tomorrow."

"I'll be unable to come, because Kenji has a doctor's appointment, but I'll take the car after Kenshin drives here" said Tomoe quietly. "You'll have to do this without me."

"That's quite alright Tomoe" said Tokio with a smile. "You have a new child, and I think you should spend your time with him. Don't worry about this."

Tokio, Saitou, Kenshin, Tomoe, Hiko, and Kenji left, leaving Okina in the room alone. Okina sighed and gathered all the contents of the folder.

"For Sagara's sake, I hope she can appease everybody" whispered Okina. "Sagara's ghost will finally be at rest if she is taken care of…"

* * *

"What the hell is all this stuff?"

Kaoru, Megumi, and Enishi simply stared at the room as Sanosuke yelled for Misao.

"It's like a small tornado hit this room" whispered Megumi, slightly shocked.

"Wasn't this a clean room the last time I saw it?" asked Kaoru quietly.

"If you look really closely, I think you can see how the room originally looked" said Enishi softly. "You just have to get rid of the sheets and clothes, the five dressers, the three desks, and the two bookshelves and it'll look like it's ordinary self – a room with a bed, a nightstand, and a closet."

"I see what you mean" replied Okita, his smile for once seeming slightly forced. "I just hope she doesn't make us clean-"

"Hey everybody!" yelled out Misao suddenly, appearing in the doorway. "Rooster, why are you yelling?"

"You better not think that I'm gonna help you clean up this mess" muttered Sanosuke darkly. Misao nodded happily.

"That's exactly what I want you guys to help me with!" cried out Misao. "We need to organize this room for tomorrow!"

"That's exactly what I was afraid of" whispered Okita.

"Misao, this room's a dump!" shrieked Megumi angrily. "How do you expect us to clean this?"

"And why is this room needed tomorrow?" asked Kaoru.

"Because Aoshi-sama and Kaya-san are coming back to Tokyo!" screamed Misao happily.

"Hey, Aoshi's coming back" replied Enishi with a smile, jabbing a glum Sanosuke with his elbow. "Why are you so glum?"

"Because that ice-block in no fun" muttered Sanosuke.

"Don't call him an ice-block!" yelled Misao angrily. "Megumi and Kaoru have never met him, so don't try to fill their heads with lies!"

"Kaya's coming back?" asked Okita, his smile as wide as possible. "Are you serious Misao?"

"Yes!" shrieked Misao. Okita hugged her tightly and they started dancing around.

"Will someone please fill me in on what's happening right now?" asked Kaoru, slightly confused.

"Kaya is Okita's girlfriend" said Sanosuke with a wink. "I honestly think she's mental for falling in love with him, but then again, I'm not her!"

Okita retorted by punching Sanosuke hard in the shoulder.

"HEY! That hurt!"

"It was supposed to!"

"Why you-"

"Aoshi is Misao's brother" said Enishi with a grin, interrupting Okita and Sanosuke's fight. "When she was adopted, he became her official baby-sitter, but as she grew older, they developed a close brother-sister relationship. She adores him so much she calls him Lord Aoshi."

"Oh!" said Kaoru with a smile. "Misao, you must be thrilled!" Misao nodded happily and hugged Kaoru tightly.

"So, how does Aoshi look like?" asked Megumi curiously.

"Here's a picture" said Sanosuke offhandedly, pulling out a frame from a heap of clothes piled in a corner. Megumi looked at the photo and a smile surfaced her face.

"Hey, he's an actor!" said Kaoru with a smile. "I've seen previews for that new movie of his! It looks so romantic, I can't wait to see it!"

"She's dragging us to another chick-flick isn't she?" groaned Enishi.

"I don't want to see anything that ice-block acted in!" yelled Sanosuke.

Misao's kunai suddenly flew by and framed his head. Sanosuke muttered imprecations under his breath as he began to pull out the kunai from the wall.

"He's cute Misao" said Megumi with a grin.

"Megumi…" Sano growled, promptly dropping all the kunai. Megumi's fox ears popped up and she started laughing mischievously.

"Sano no baka, don't you think I need to date an actual man sooner or later?" asked Megumi sweetly, a hint of laughter in her voice, enjoying teasing Sanosuke to his breaking point. Kaoru, Okita, Enishi, and Misao started laughing upon seeing Sanosuke's eyebrow twitch.

"MEGUMI!" he yelled angrily. "Don't joke about this!"

"Sanosuke, how are you going to silence me?" asked Megumi with a laugh. The angry look on Sanosuke's face dissipated and a smirk replaced the previous anger. He walked up to her until there was only two inches between them, and then leaned over and whispered into her ear.

"It's easy" he whispered before he kissed her passionately on the lips. Her eyes widened with surprise, but then she wrapped her arms around him and began kissing him back.

Suddenly, they both realized exactly where they were, and they broke away from each other. They turned to their friends and hoped that they had not seen the public display of affection.

No such luck.

Misao, Enishi, and Okita stood their, rooted in place by shock. Kaoru however, was grinning widely.

"It's about time you two were finally together!" replied Kaoru with a smile. "I always saw the love for each other in your eyes, but I was hoping you'd realize it on your own.

"How long have you known?" asked Megumi, surprised.

"Ever since I met you guys three years ago!" said Kaoru with a laugh.

"But we've only been going out for two months now! And we've kept it a secret from all you guys!" said Sanosuke.

"Yes, but it was obvious that you two were going to get together! You know the saying, 'love the one you hate' or something like that!" said Kaoru.

"Then how come they seem so surprised?" asked Megumi, snickering slightly as she watched her other three friends finally recover from their shock.

"Two months…" whispered Misao.

"You couldn't tell us right away?" asked Okita.

Enishi shook his head. "Kaoru, looks like you won the bet" he muttered, drawing out a hundred dollars from his pocket and forking it over to a joyous Kaoru. "I'm never betting on you when it comes to love."

"Okay, we need to fix up this room!" interrupted Misao quickly. "And then, after this room is done, we can use rooster as a punching bag!"

"Great plan!" said Okita cheerfully, moving around the dressers.

"Hey, I don't want to be a punching bag!" yelled Sano indignantly, causing everybody to laugh. "And weasel, why are there two bookshelves, two dressers, and three desks?"

"We have to choose the best ones out of the three categories, and the rest you get to take downstairs!" said Misao with a grin, skipping away to get some cleaning material.

"HEY! I'M NOT LUGGING EVERYTHING DOWNSTAIRS BY MYSELF!"

* * *

"I'm exhausted!" cried out Tokio, flopping down onto the bed she and Saitou shared. He smirked; she looked so adorable lying on the covers, her long hair slipping out of its usually neat bun, framing her face.

"So, how was your trip?" he asked.

His question remained unanswered. He turned around and gave a genuine smile as he saw the sleeping form of his wife. He gently draped a blanket over her and turned off the lights before searching for his hidden pack of cigarettes in his policeman's uniform.

_It's a good thing you're asleep, because I have some research to do…_

He crept downstairs to his study and typed in a single name into his database. After a few paltry seconds, his search was deemed successful.

Staring up at him was Sagara Miyana, the exact same photo Okina had showed him today. His lip curled with hatred as he stared at her.

"You escaped me once" he whispered, his voice almost a growl. "This time, I'll prove to this world what kind of girl you are…and this time, you will not escape your fate. I will make sure of that!"

* * *

**So...any guesses about Miyana and Saitou's connection?**

**A little information about Miyana as a character - I made her up, and she is one of my favorite characters. If you read my fic 'Run To You', you'll find out her history (the history I made up from the manga), but after creating that eight-part-series and involving her in so many parts of it, I can't let her go! So I brought her back in here? Any guesses about her future?**

**I will probably post the next chapter in a week, so hopefully I'll see you next Saturday/Sunday!**

**Ja ne! Now, hit that review button...**


	5. Interrogation

**Disclaimer - I own Rurouni Kenshin! Yes, and I'm also the dictator of this world!**

**For any of you who misunderstand my sarcasm, I am not the owner of Watsuki's Rurouni Kenshin...**

**Anyways, I got so few reviews for the last chapter...it's depressing...but I got some reviews, so I'm not going to complain that much!**

**Bradybunch4529 - I'm glad you like the twists and swirls of my fanfiction, because believe me, I always add the strangest ones...and you'll find some pretty big ones towards the end! Thanks for reviewing!**

**kawaii sakura-chan - Yes, in this chapter you do figure out the connection between Saitou and Miyana, as well as the connection between Hiko and Miyana! Throughout the story, you'll see a few flashbacks about this, so keep reading! Thanks so much for the review!**

**WhiteRabbit5 - Yes, I do love adding plot twists. However, next chapter (or the chapter after that) Kaoru and Aoshi will meet for the first time...so that plot will finally come out. I'm a romance nut, so no matter what, you'll see romance in my stories, but I warn you, the Aoshi Kaoru one will be slow. After all, how easy is it to convince someone that love actually exists? Thanks for reviewing!**

**Alright, so here's the next chapter...hope you like it!**

* * *

**HOW IS THIS LOVE?**

"HE'S COMING TODAY!"

Okita covered his ears as they stood a hundred feet away from the Aoiya. Enishi and Sanosuke both cringed, and Kaoru and Megumi both laughed slightly.

"Is there any chance that that yell wasn't Misao?" asked Enishi sarcastically.

"Only the weasel girl can yell that loud, so stop wishing" muttered Sanosuke. "This is going to be a long day…ever since yesterday, the Aoiya has become my most hated place…"

"I still can't believe that you and Megumi have been dating for two months, and you never even told us!" said Okita angrily, despite the smile on his face. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"Well, I was afraid that Sanosuke would just dump me like he dumped that huge slew of girls in high school, so I decided to give him a two-month trial period" said Megumi with a laugh.

"And now I've shown you how much I've matured!" replied Sanosuke triumphantly. Okita, Enishi, Megumi, and Kaoru took one look at Sanosuke before they burst out into laughter.

"You? Mature?" yelled out Enishi, trying to keep his cool but failing miserably.

"Oh rooster, you really do crack me up!" said Megumi with a laugh.

Kaoru and Okita managed to pull the door open to the Aoiya before collapsing onto the floor in laughter. Suddenly, a tremor ran through the house as Misao flew down the stairs.

"Aoshi-sama's coming today!" shrieked Misao happily, hugging all five of the newcomers as tightly as she could. "Aoshi-sama's coming today!"

"Obviously you're excited" muttered Enishi.

"What was that?" asked Misao.

"Oh, nothing" replied Enishi with a smile.

"Anyways, Jiya said we could pick him and Kaya-san up, so which of you brought cars?" asked Misao excitedly.

"I brought one" replied Okita with a smile.

"I brought another one" said Enishi. "And while lucky Okita came by here all by himself, I was stuck with these three" he muttered darkly, pointing to Kaoru, Sano, and Megumi.

"Hey, what was wrong with us?" asked Kaoru and Megumi.

"Fine, you two were tolerable, but the rooster wouldn't shut up!" replied Enishi.

"Admit it Enishi! You're just jealous of me" said Sanosuke with a grin. Enishi rolled his eyes and muttered "As if" under his breath, causing Sanosuke's eyebrow to twitch ever so slightly.

"Alright, well, let's go!" shrieked Misao excitedly. "Who's going in which car? Oh, Okita, I'll come along with you! But we have to stop by the café on the way! I want some coffee, and I could drink four of those cappuchinos now!" She bounced away after Okita as the others watched her in horror.

"If she's sane now, imagine what four cups of coffee would do to her" muttered Sanosuke in awe. Megumi laughed, and Kaoru giggled before turning to Enishi.

"Enishi, won't you be happy to be stuck with all of us again?" asked Kaoru hurriedly, watching Misao's mouth run non-stop as Enishi stood there in shock.

"Of course!" replied Enishi happily. "Just get in before she decides to!"

* * *

Okina watched the cars pull away and then turned to Kenshin, Saitou, Tokio, and Hiko, all of them sitting at a table with five chairs.

"Alright, I'll let Miyana in when she comes, and you four can interrogate her" said Okina hurriedly. "I won't be there, but I have some strict instructions."

"Really?" asked Tokio in surprise. "How many instructions?"  
"Alright, I only have one" replied Okina. "Saitou, don't try to scare her." Okina quickly walked away from the room as Saitou scowled and pulled out a cigarette.

"Excuse me?"

All four heads turned around to see Miyana standing in the doorway, her black hair tumbling down the back of her deep blue trenchcoat.

"Sagara Miyana?" asked Tokio softly. Miyana nodded, and he motioned her to sit. She sat down gingerly in the chair and the group sat in silence for a minute.

"So Miyana-dono" replied Kenshin with a reassuring smile. "Tell us about yourself."

Miyana sighed softly and looked up at Kenshin. "Where do you want me to begin?" she asked quietly.

"Start from the beginning" said Tokio quickly, making sure that Saitou would be unable to make a cruel comment.

"It's alright Miyana" said Hiko from the shadows. Kenshin's eyes practically popped out of his head.

_Hiko called her Miyana? I'm sure he has some sort of connection with her to call her by a first-name basis! That could explain his slight surprise when he was staring at her picture yesterday…but what kind of connection could these two have possibly shared?_

Miyana's eyes widened and she did a double-take when her eyes fell upon Hiko, but she didn't utter a single word, adding on to Kenshin's curiousity.

Miyana took a deep breath and began.

"I have no clue who my true parents are, but ever since I can remember, I've been wandering on the streets. When I was five, a man found me almost dead by the riverside. He took me in, and taught me swordsmanship so that in the future, I could learn to be strong. However, when I was ten, he took me to the Sekihotai Agency, telling me that I would be better off there than with him. Captain Sagara was wonderful, but then he died when I was sixteen."

"I was a good friend with Souzou-san" interrupted Tokio gently. "I'm curious about his reason for death. He was assassinated, but why?"

"I don't know…" whispered Miyana.

"Do you have any suspects?" asked Kenshin gently. "We know that the assassin had to be one of his confidantes, but we're quite unsure about which one it could possibly be."

"I had one suspect" replied Miyana shortly. "But it's no use now. He's dead."

The room fell silent and Tokio turned to look at her husband, but she could barely make out his form from the shadows of the corner he sat in.

_It's almost as if he's deliberately sitting in the shadows…like a wolf waiting to pounce on his prey…Hajime, what's your connection to this girl? Why are you trying to avoid her by hiding in the shadows…_

"Miyana-dono, please continue" said Kenshin quietly.

"I wanted to keep his agency running, even after he died, so I took leadership…but when I turned nineteen, I got involved in a case that ended up in disaster, and after that, no one trusted me. I made sure every worker received a compensation, and then I sold the agency" said Miyana softly.

"Alright, now for some questions" Kenshin said quickly. "I want to know what this case or scandal was about, the one that caused the agency to lose faith in you."

Miyana's voice began to shake as she spoke. "I was accused of…" Miyana trailed off, unable to continue.

"Miyana-dono, are you alright?" asked Kenshin gently. Miyana wiped her eyes of the single tear that she had tried to hide desperately.

"Miyana, you have to let it out" said Hiko urgently. "Get it out, and get it over with."

_It's been a year but I still can't speak…will they believe me? Will they understand that I am innocent?_

Miyana sighed and took another deep breath, but Saitou's harsh voice suddenly rang out into the air.

"Do you think your act is going to work on me?" he asked coldly.

Miyana looked up in surprise to see the dim light of cigarette unveil the man she knew had been hiding in the shadows. Her eyes suddenly widened with horror upon seeing Saitou sitting in front of her.

"You…" she whispered, her voice barely audible.

_The policeman…the one who arrested me…the one who insisted I wasn't innocent…_

"Did you honestly think you could prove yourself innocent?" asked Saitou with an evil grin. "All the evidence pointed to you! It's because of you he's dead, and don't think you can try to fake your way out of this, because this time, I'll be sure to make you pay for your crime!"

Miyana stood up quickly, knocking her chair over. "You think I did this, even after a whole year?" asked Miyana, her voice so low and desperate that Tokio couldn't help but support the young girl in front of her. Her voice broke, and tears threatened to slip out from her eyes. But nothing prepared her for what Saitou had to say next.

"I wouldn't doubt it" he replied coolly. "In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if you were the assassin of Captain Sagara. That's how heartless I think you are. Don't try to act innocent, because I know the truth about you. I studied the case about your scandal! I was policeman who sent you to court because I knew you weren't innocent. You somehow escaped the jury, but let me assure you, I won't be so lenient. I know the truth and trust me Miyana, I will prove you are guilty…"

Miyana's eyes widened, and she turned swiftly and fled the room. Hiko stood up and followed her silently, leaving Kenshin and Tokio alone with Saitou.

"Saitou, how could you say that to her?" asked Kenshin harshly. "She's a young woman, and she's been through so much turmoil!"

"I know her better than you Battousai" said Saitou coldly. "I know the one secret that she is hiding…"

_The one secret that would make your insides turn…the secret about who she murdered, and who he was to her…_

"Himura-san, don't talk to him!"

Saitou turned to see his wife's crystal blue eyes turn to ice in front of him. She glared at him, and at that moment, Saitou knew that no one would believe the secret of Sagara Miyana.

"I don't care what you think Hajime" replied Tokio angrily. "But I will not turn this girl away! You said that she was in court once, but she proved herself innocent, otherwise, she would've been in jail by now! I vote that we keep her as a secret agent!"

"I too, vote to keep her" replied Kenshin coldly.

"It's two against one, but Seijuurou hasn't voted" replied Saitou with a smirk. Tokio however, returned his smirk by sliding a piece of paper in front of Saitou before storming out of the room. Kenshin too, left the room, his amethyst eyes cold and flecked with amber. Saitou unfolded the slip and his eyes widened ever so slightly with shock.

Written in Hiko's neat handwriting were the words "Keep her".

* * *

"Miyana!"

Miyana turned around to face Hiko. Hiko took one look at her glum and dejected face before patting her on her head slightly.

"And I thought you were stronger than my baka deshi" said Hiko with a teasing grin. Miyana turned away without a glance, and Hiko, in a gesture of reassurance, wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"You were never one to run away" he said quietly. "What made you take off today?"

"He was there" whispered Miyana. "Every time I try to live a new life, something goes wrong, and he is just a reminder of all those events that caused me to fall apart…"

"He doesn't know you like I do" said Hiko gently. "He doesn't know that you're one of the most innocent people I have ever met, so don't let his judgments bring you down."

"Shishou…" Miyana trailed off, causing Hiko to smile.

"I remember when you were five, when I first found you, you used to call me Hiko oji-san" said Hiko with a grin. "What changed? The fact that I trained you for five years? That I left you alone for ten years?"

"You still want me to call you Hiko oji-san?" asked Miyana.

"I want you to be happy…to smile like you used to as a child" answered Hiko. Miyana looked up at the darkening sky and sighed softly.

"I'm not her anymore" she whispered. "I'm not the girl I used to be…"

Hiko raised his eyebrows. "You may not be her anymore, but will it hurt to try?"

Miyana stared up at the sky as the soft breeze blew her hair gently. "I don't know" she answered. "But if it does, I don't know how much pain I can take anymore…I'm tired of hanging on, and sooner or later, I will let go…"

Hiko took the girl by the shoulders and embraced her gently, leaning his head to whisper into her ear.

"I know it hurts…but don't you think that Sagara-san would want you to enjoy life? And if you let go, if you can't hang on any longer, then grab my hand. I don't want to see you leave...I had to leave you ten years ago, and I've missed you so much for all those years. If you let go, you'll end up hurting me…so instead, just grab onto my hand, and I'll help you through…"

Miyana pulled away, her eyes filled with tears. She did not smile, but Hiko knew the true meaning behind her tears. They were tears of gratefulness, tears of happiness to know that someone truly cared about her. He wiped them away carefully with his thumb.

"You have a soft spot for women…" whispered Miyana gently.

"No, just a soft spot for you" replied Hiko with a broad smile. Miyana shook her head slightly.

"And perhaps that's why Kenshin-san is always angry with you" said Miyana with a raise of an eyebrow. "You never had a soft spot for him. In fact, you were extremely hard on him."

"Well, it's not my fault that Kenshin's a baka" replied Hiko indignantly. "After all, not all pupils can turn out as great as their master!"

"Shishou…"

* * *

Saitou pulled out a cigarette from his pocket as he stared out the window located in the empty room he stood in. His amber orbs blazed with hatred as he stared at Hiko and Miyana talking outside.

_She's escaping again…Can no one see behind her façade except for me?_

_Does no one believe the truth except for me?_

He took a deep drag of his lit cigarette before putting out on the sheet of paper Hiko had left behind, staining the words "Keep her" with ash.

_I will not let you go unpunished…Aku Soku Zan Sagara Miyana. That is my motto, and I will not hesitate to support my motto, even against a girl. So I hope you're watching your back, for this time, I will not let you escape…this time, you have to pay the consequences for your crimes!_

_

* * *

_

**Saitou's so friendly, isn't he?**

**Anyways, I know I didn't really mention Miyana's crime, but that does remain a secret for quite a while. Throughout the story, you'll see flashbacks to Miyana's past, and some of them are so strange because they contrast with her current personality so greatly...I love writing agonizing scenes! Keeping it a secret also makes you wonder whether she truly is innocent, or whether she's guilty! Mwahahaha!**

**Oh yes, and just a hint - Miyana and Saitou will fight in the future.**

**Only three more days of junior year for me! Then I'll be a senior (and I'll still be stuck in high school, how pitiful...). But I'll be that closer to graduation!**

**Review, and thanks for reading! Ja ne!**


	6. A Long Wait At The Airport

**Disclaimer - I hope the Rurouni Kenshin cast can finally accept that I indeed am the creator of  
Saitou - If you finish that sentence, Aku Soku Zan will be reserved for you...  
Hitoezakura - Relax, I was going to say I own this story! Watsuki owns the actual Rurouni Kenshin  
Saitou - You weren't going to say that initially...  
Hitoezakura - Now how do you know that (gives an evil laugh)**

**Anyways, reviewer responses!**

**WhiteRabbit5 - Thank you about the Saitou compliments! I've always loved writing about him, but I usually have to ruin some aspect of his character. I'm glad to know that this time, I finally managed to capture his essence better. I'm sorry about the Hiko-Kenshin relationship...I truly did not mean for it to come out that way. I agree with you, but when I looked back, I realize that I didn't exactly make myself clear that Hiko was joking (sorry ). As for Aoshi and Kaoru interaction, that's most definitely coming up in the next chapter, so please keep reading!**

**kawaii sakura-chan - If you can't wait to find out Miyana's secret, then that's not good...you don't find out for a reeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaalllllllllllllly long time, unfortunately, although that would make my writing a bit easier. However, I will reveal bits and pieces about her as the story goes on! Thanks for the compliment!**

**Bradybunch4529 - Don't worry, the meeting is in the next chapter! Thanks for the review!**

**Ardenilia - Thanks so much! I love it when my work is complimented! I update every Sunday now, so just check in every Sunday and you'll be good!**

**Alright, I was thinking about putting brief character descriptions after every chapter (not too much though). Just age and a few stats. If you think that's a good idea, please tell me in your review!**

**I'll shut up now and let you read!**

* * *

**HOW IS THIS LOVE?**

Enishi rubbed his forehead as he stepped out of the car, trying to massage his new headache. Once again, his best friend Sano had created a racket in the car, encouraging both girls into a sing-along.

Not that there was anything wrong with Kaoru singing. Kaoru sounded wonderful, and thanks to her extensive music training, she sounded like a professional. Enishi had no doubt in his mind that Kaoru would one day become the singer she always dreamed of becoming. However, he could not say that for Sanosuke and Megumi. He had to admit, their equally atrocious singing abilities made them an excellent pair.

"Hey Enishi, why do you look so tired?" yelled out Sanosuke, punching Enishi in the shoulder in a playful manner.

"Sano no baka, maybe he has a headache!" hissed Megumi. "Your singing is awful! You sounded like a bag of cats being thrown against a wall!"

"So what did that make you Megumi?" said Enishi with a grin. "A banshee?"

Kaoru and Sanosuke both burst out into laughter upon seeing Megumi's embarrassed and angered face.

"Hey guys!"

Enishi turned to see Okita and Misao waving to them from the doorway of the airport. Kaoru, Sanosuke, Megumi, and Enishi made their way through the crowd and eventually managed to reach Okita and Misao.

"You guys reached early" said Kaoru with a smile. "I thought you were going to stop for coffee!"

"We were" said Okita with his trademark grin. "But Misao suddenly began to think about how Aoshi might hate her, and she went silent and refused to eat or drink anything on our way, so…"

"She remained silent?" muttered Enishi. "Why didn't I bring her along?"

"You refused because you were scared about what might have happened had she drank four cups of coffee," whispered Kaoru in his ear. "And do you really think she would've stayed silent with Sanosuke in your car, directing a sing-along to 'Love and Joy' by Kimura Yuki?"

"That was 'Love and Joy'?" whispered Enishi in disbelief.

"Yes! What did you think it was?"

"A very horrible rendition of a song that I had no desire to hear, and it definitely didn't sound a thing like love or joy, unless the song was about death through the bursting of the eardrums" replied Enishi wryly, pushing his shades up his nose. "Remind me never to turn on the radio in my car again lest I hear another sing-along."

Kaoru giggled.

"Hey, what are you guys talking about that's so funny?" asked Misao.

"Nothing!" replied Kaoru and Enishi in unison, sharing a private grin. They began to laugh upon seeing Misao's scowling face.

"Attention all people" came a voice over the intercom of the airport. "We are sorry to announce that there is a delay in flight 176 arriving from Hokkaido. It will be two hours before the flight arrives. We apologize for the delay and any inconvenience that it has caused. Thank you."

"So we're stuck here for two hours with nothing to do?" wailed Misao.

"What are you saying?" asked Sanosuke indignantly. "There's always food!"

Megumi, Enishi, Okita, and Kaoru sweatdropped, but Misao and Sanosuke began to sing praises about food and wasting time.

"Here's another sing-along" muttered Enishi with an eye roll. Kaoru, Okita, and Megumi simply shook their heads and followed Sanosuke and Misao to the food court.

* * *

"So, how are you feeling Kaoru?" asked Megumi quietly, after she had sent Okita, Enishi and Sanosuke off to fetch food, insisting that no real man would refuse to buy food for a woman. After much grumbling, the three of them obliged rather grudgingly.

"What do you mean?" asked Kaoru with a smile. "I'm fine!"

"Misao and I have noticed that you haven'thad datedfor two years…not since the day Ken-san got married" replied Megumi in a clipped voice, staring intensely at Kaoru's face. "Misao and I also figured out that all the dates we set up were refused by you, and even before the date began…"

"I didn't find anyone I liked" replied Kaoru with a small smile.

"Tokyo isn't devoid of guys you know" chipped in Misao. "You should've found at least one guy to date!"

"Or perhaps you still haven't gotten over Ken-san?" asked Megumi quietly, her voice so low that only Kaoru and Misao could have possibly heard it. Kaoru's eyes widened in surprise, and Megumi almost smirked as she saw Kaoru's emotions surfacing.

"I'm right, aren't I?" whispered Megumi softly. Misao's smile slipped off her face as she saw Kaoru's usually bright and smiling face suddenly dim upon Megumi's comments.

"Megumi, maybe this isn't the best time to bring this up" muttered Misao under her breath. Megumi gave Misao a quick glare before turning to Kaoru again.

"Kaoru it has been two years since Ken-san announced his marriage, and you still haven't had a serious relationship" said Megumi quietly. "Kaoru, give him up! I know he meant so much to you, but…"

"You don't know how it felt Megumi" whispered Kaoru. "You don't know anything at all." Kaoru stood up and grabbed her purse. "I'm going to the bathroom. Make sure Sanosuke doesn't eat my food." Kaoru turned away and left, leaving Megumi and Misao at the table, guilty stares adorning their faces.

"Why did you bring it up now Megumi?" asked Misao, slightly cross. "You know Kaoru gets really upset about Himura, no matter how hard she tries to cover it up!"

"I wanted to knock some sense into her" said Megumi angrily. "She can't ruin her life over Ken-san! She needs to find someone new, someone who'll actually be there for her!"

"But who?" whispered Misao thoughtfully.

* * *

Kaoru splashed her face with water, the cool drops mingling with her salty tears. She wiped away her tears and the water on her face before leaning against the wall with a sigh.

_Megumi's right…it has been two years…but he was so special to me? How could I forget him? The day I met him, almost four years ago, I had no clue he was engaged…I simply knew that he was the kindest, sweetest man I had ever met! And he did so much for me in times of trouble and need! For two years, I was hopelessly in love with him. Megumi, Misao, and I would always joke about it, but they knew how serious it was for me…_

_And then…then Tomoe-san came…_

_They had been engaged for six years, but Tomoe-san left abruptly for some mission. But after six years, she finally returned…and Kenshin announced his marriage. He and Tomoe asked me specifically to be the maid of honor. How could I refuse?_

_I hid my hurt that day behind a bright smile. But inside, I was sobbing, lying in a pool of salty tears, drowning in misery and pain. My first love…and it went unrequited…_

_I have tried so hard after his marriage to pull myself together, but for some reason…I don't seem to be attracted to any other man…I can't help butlove Kenshin, even after all this time…Is it possible that he will be the only man I shall love?

* * *

_

"Hey, Jou-chan! Can I have a few of your fries?" yelled out Sanosuke as he saw her approaching from a distance. She hurled her purse at him, giving him a rather large bump on the head.

"No you moocher!" she yelled angrily, sitting down to eat her fries. "Eat your own food!" She glanced over at Megumi and Misao with a nod and a wink, reassuring them that she was fine now. Upon seeing her cheerful demeanor, Misao and Megumi broke out into grins and dug into their own food.

"Sano, why don't you mooch off of Megumi? She's your girlfriend after all!" said Okita logically. Sanosuke made a face.

"She's eating a salad" he declared. "That's poison!"

Three tomato slices went flying towards him and covered his eyes and mouth. The gang laughed as Sanosuke angrily pulled off the tomatoes that his girlfriend had so lovingly thrown at him.

"Tori-atama, you didn't try the tomatoes?" asked Megumi with a grin.

"Evil fox" muttered Sanosuke with a scowl. "But that's why I like you, huh?" he replied, suddenly grinning and leaning forward to kiss her.

"Alright you guys!" yelled out Misao suddenly. "I have a mission for you all!"

They all stared at her, along with the many people in the food court, for her voice had suddenly become quite loud.

"Misao, quiet down and then tell us your mission!" whispered Megumi urgently.

Misao scowled but she lowered her voice to a dull roar. "You guys have to find me a boyfriend!" she declared triumphantly.

"Weasel, I don't think any guy wants to go out with you" said Sanosuke with a grin. He ducked as six plastic knives came charging at him.

"Misao, I think it would be better if you found your own boyfriend" said Kaoru quickly. "That way, he matches your tastes!"

"Good idea Kaoru!" said Megumi with a small sigh of relief.

"I'm sorry Misao, but I can't think of anybody who'd be crazy enough to go after you" said Enishi with a shrug. Okita nodded in agreement, and then both duck to dodge some more plastic knives hurled by Misao.

"Ouch!"

Misao suddenly gasped and knocked over her seat when she realized she had hit someone with her plastic knives. Okita, Sanosuke, and Enishi burst into laughter upon seeing her red face.

"Shut up!" retorted Misao, spraying Kaoru's ketchup all over them.

"Misao, what am I going to eat my fries with now?" asked Kaoru insistently. Megumi gave a slightly evil laugh.

"Kaoru, I'm sure that you're gaining enough weight, so perhaps you should lay off the fries!" answered Megumi, her fox ears springing up. Misao quickly fled as the boys gave her murderous glares very similar to the ones Kaoru and Megumi were giving each other. She immediately ran to the person she had hit.

"I'm really, really, really, really, really sorry that hit you!" she cried out. "It was meant for someone else!" she apologized to the back of the person's head. He suddenly turned around to reveal a devastatingly cute and handsome profile. Misao almost froze as he gave her a comforting wide smile.

"That's quite all right miss" he said politely. "You didn't do any harm!"

Misao could only nod as she stared at his handsomeness. His blackhair looked silky smooth, and almost sparkled in the dim airport lighting. His eyes were sky blue, and seemed to hold a slightly amused look. He was fairly short, only a bit taller than her, but she didn't like really tall guys as boyfriends anyways. She suddenly realized she was staring and quickly averted her eyes to the ground.

"I better get back to my friends" whispered Misao. She turned away when his voice suddenly echoed through the airport.

"Wait Miss!" he called out. Misao turned around and gave him a questioning glance. He whipped out a piece of paper and a pen.

"Could you give me a name and a phone number?" he asked. Misao walked over to him with a smile as they began to exchange names and phone numbers.

* * *

"Hey look, only ten minutes remain till Shinomori-san's plane comes!" said Kaoru with a grin. "But where's Misao?" she asked.

All three of the guys looked quite grim. Misao's ketchup spraying had forced them to clean up in the bathroom, upsetting them greatly. It didn't help that Megumi and Kaoru were standing right outside the door, giggling their heads off.

Misao suddenly came skidding to a stop in front of them. "I have a date, I have a date, I have a date!"

The guys mouths suddenly dropped to the floor.

"Who was insane enough to ask out the weasel?" whispered Sanosuke.

"Maybe an escapee from a mental asylum" suggested Okita.

"A blind and deaf person?" pondered Enishi.

Multiple plastic knives tried to impale them as Kaoru and Megumi cheered for Misao's happiness.

"How did that happen?" asked Kaoru excitedly.

"Who is he, and how does he look?" asked Megumi with a grin.

"He's Seta Soujirou, he looks incredibly handsome and sexy, and he was the one I hit with knives, so after I apologized, we exchanged phone numbers!" gushed Misao, her sea-green eyes twinkling with the utmost delight as she sighed dreamily.

"Attention! Flight 176 arriving from Hokkaido is now landing at Gate 2B" said a voice over the intercom, interfering with Kaoru and Megumi's squeals of happiness. Enishi's eyes suddenly widened.

"That's all the way across this airport!" yelled Enishi. "We have to run!"

The six of them tore off towards gate 2B.

* * *

**So, the next chapter, Kaoru and Aoshi finally meet...Any guesses about what happens?**

**Alright, this chapter was kind of a strange chapter, but it had two purposes - i) It revealed that Kaoru loves Kenshin, even today. ii) It gave Misao a date. Those purposes seem kind of strange, but believe me, they play a bigger role in the future!**

**ONLY ONE YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL LEFT!**

**Alright, review and Ja ne till next Sunday!**


	7. Personality Clash!

**Disclaimer - I don't own Kenshin, and Aoshi's holding both his kodachis behind my back, so I can't really say much else now, can I?**

**Anyways, what happened to my regular reviewers? They didn't review the last chapter (sob). Oh well, hopefully you guys have the time to review this chapter and the last chapter someday soon, because I really enjoy your reviews and feedback!**

**Reviewer responses!**

**? - I update every Sunday now, so hopefully you'll keep checking in! Thanks for the compliment!**

**nilnil - They fight and fight and fight! You're dead on!**

**Alright, so finally, finally, finally, I have brought Aoshi and Kaoru together! Sorry it took so long to set the stage, but hey, it had to be done! Anyways, I hope you enjoy their first time together, and see if you can find out how their relationship will progress!**

**Small note to WhiteRabbit5 - This first little part is for you. I felt really bad about my portrayal of Kenshin and Hiko's relationship, and I really did want to correct it. I hope this is more to your liking, and once again, I'm sorry for my mistaken portrayal!**

**Alright, so please read and enjoy!**

**Note - Words in bold and italics are flashbacks!**

* * *

**HOW IS THIS LOVE?**

Hiko suddenly felt a slight drizzle as he and Miyana simply stood outside in the cool breeze.

"It might rain," whispered Miyana. "I should leave." She began to walk away when she suddenly heard the swish of his cape and his arm suddenly latched onto hers.

"I don't want you to get a cold," replied Hiko hurriedly. "Come inside, it may just be a passing shower, so you won't have to wait too long."

"Shishou?" asked Miyana softly. Hiko turned to her inquisitively.

"Yes Miyana?" asked Hiko curiously.

"Is Himura-san happy? When you were training me, you told me that he was suffering, that becoming Battousai caused him deep pain. Is he happy now?"

Hiko gave a small smile. "Yes, my baka deshi is indeed quite happy," said Hiko. "He has a wife and a child, and despite him being a secret agent he is still able to spend time with his family. Yes, he is happy."

"You should stop calling him a baka," replied Miyana. "He has given you so much to be proud of."

Hiko gave a small laugh. "No, he's still a baka to me, but he's a wonderful baka to be proud of, no doubt about that! He's an excellent swordsman, and he finally has a family."

Hiko suddenly gave a small cough, slighty embarrassed about talking about his student in such a praising manner. "Now come on, I really don't want you to catch a cold, although I'm sure Saitou's fiery glances could cure anyone of their colds. Are you planning on telling me why he has a vendetta against you?"

"Not now" whispered Miyana, a shadow passing over her features so quickly that Hiko regretted his words instantly. "Perhaps later. Right now, I'm starting to feel a bit cold, so we should go inside."

Miyana and Hiko wordlessly stepped back into the Aoiya.

* * *

"Made…it…" commented Kaoru breathlessly, followed shortly by Megumi, Okita, Sanosuke, and Enishi. Misao, thanks to her endless bounds of energy, was still quite hyperactive. In fact, she was jumping up and down, trying to pick out Aoshi from the crowd while her friends lay on the ground, thoroughly fatigued.

"What are you guys doing on the floor?" asked Misao, slightly enraged. "You can't be tired! We still have to find Aoshi-sama in this huge crowd!"

"Misao, where does all your energy come from?" asked Megumi slightly hoarse from lack of breath.

"From coffee" suggested Kaoru.

"Doughnuts!" Okita offered.

"Waaaaaaaay too much sugar" replied Sanosuke.

"From mental insanity" answered Enishi.

A barrage of plastic knives suddenly pursued the five of them as Misao continued to remain on the lookout for Aoshi.

"THERE'S AOSHI-SAMA!" shrieked Misao loudly, jumping up and down wildly.

"Misao! Don't yell!" hissed Megumi quickly. "Honestly, sometimes you are such a child!"

"I don't think she's listening to you Megumi," said Kaoru with a giggle. "Look, she's still jumping up and down and yelling!"

"Aoshi must have a headache by now," muttered Enishi sullenly, rubbing his forehead. "I sure do."

"That sing along from the car didn't help much either, did it?" asked Kaoru jokingly, causing Enishi to glare at her.

"Is Kaya right next to him?" asked Okita excitedly, his whole face lighting up and his smile growing wider, if that was even possible.

"SHE IS!" yelled Misao. Okita began to join Misao in waving to the two people.

"Is her voice permanently stuck on 'shout' mode?" asked Sanosuke with a grumble. "She's going to make me deaf…"

"Okita!" cried out a soft voice. Sanosuke and Enishi grinned upon seeing Okita run up to Kaya and spin her around in circles, laughing as he grinned at the beautiful girl in front of her.

"Who's that?" asked Megumi in a whisper.

"That's Hitomi Kaya, Okita's girlfriend", answered Sanosuke with a smirk. "She's a year older than Okita, and she's Aoshi's closest friend. But when she met Okita before she left, she couldn't help but fall in love with him."

"Okita, I've missed you so much!" whispered Kaya. "It's been four long years, but it's finally over! Okita, I'm not leaving Tokyo again for a long time!"

"I love you Kaya," said Okita, a big smile on his face. "I just hope you'll never be separated from me again!"

Kaya and Okita remained in an embrace until Kaya's eyes fell upon Kaoru and Megumi. She pulled away from Okita and smiled softly at the two girls.

"Okita, who are they?" she whispered.

"Oh, I almost forgot to introduce you all!" exclaimed Okita. "Kaya, this is Kamiya Kaoru and Takani Megumi. Megumi and Kaoru, this is Hitomi Kaya. And Kaya, you already know Sanosuke, Enishi, and Misao."

"Pleased to meet you Kaoru and Megumi. Sano, are you still breaking hearts, or did you finally become serious?" asked Kaya jokingly, a smile spreading across her face.

"I have a girlfriend now," said Sanosuke with a grin, pulling Megumi towards him and kissing her on the forehead. Kaya gave a small laugh.

"Misao, what about you? What's going on with you?" asked Kaya.

"I got asked out!" squealed Misao excitedly. Kaya gave Misao a hug before turning to Enishi, her hands on her hips.

"And what about you Mr. Yukishiro?" asked Kaya with a wink. "Please tell me you had at least one crush on someone!"

"Never have, and probably never will," replied Enishi with a grin. Kaya shook her head with a sigh.

"Kaoru, Megumi, Misao, you guys really have to help me set him up on a nice date" replied Kaya with a grin. Okita slung his arm around Kaya's shoulders and grinned at her.

"And I hope you can help me with the date I have with you tonight, hmmm?" asked Okita with a smile, causing Kaya to blush slightly.

"AOSHI-SAMA!" yelled Misao all of a sudden, causing Kaoru to turn her head in surprise to see Misao glomp a tall man with deep icy cold turquoise eyes wearing a white trench coat with a large yellow collar. His black bangs almost shielded his eyes, but he pushed them back with his hand. Suddenly, to Kaoru's surprise, the ice in his eyes melted ever so slightly and the tiniest of smiles surfaced his face as he gently hugged Misao back.

"How have you been?" asked Aoshi quietly. Misao's face lit up as she began to chatter nonstop about the many happenings of her life in the past four years.

"…and I've made new friends Aoshi-sama, do you want to meet them?" asked Misao eagerly. Aoshi looked up from her to see the others, and in that instant, Kaoru could see his eyes turn icy blue again.

_Geez, how hard is it to seem happy to see someone new? Is he always this cold?_

"This is Kamiya Kaoru!" replied Misao with a grin. "She's going to become a professional singer some day!"

"Misao, that might not happen" said Kaoru with a smile. "What if no one likes my singing?"

"Don't be paranoid Kaoru! BE HAPPY!" yelled Misao, an angry expression on her face. She turned to Megumi, suddenly all smiles again.

"This is Takani Megumi, who's training to become a doctor!" said Misao excitedly. "Kaoru, Megumi, this is my brother Aoshi!"

"It's hard to believe that you two come from the same family" replied Kaoru faintly.

"Pleased to meet you" replied Megumi with a polite smile as she jabbed Kaoru in the side for not trying to be polite.

Aoshi simply nodded slightly and then turned away to pick up his luggage.

"Wow, he's kind of impolite" said Megumi with a slight scowl.

"He's not impolite" explained Misao hurriedly. "It's just that Aoshi-sama never seems to talk much or smile. But he's wonderful once you get to know him really, really, really well!" She bounded off towards Kaya and Okita, who had drifted away from the group to

"Hey Ice-man, you need some help?" yelled out Sanosuke. "I'm pretty strong after all, and older people do start to grow weak around the age of 25!"

Aoshi gave Sanosuke a withering glance. "I'll fight you the day you beat Saitou, which shall be never" replied Aoshi, causing Sanosuke's eyebrow to twitch. Kaoru and Megumi giggled, and Aoshi turned his head ever so slightly.

_So, I was right…those two are new secret agents…_

"Hey Aoshi" said Enishi with a smile. "How's the actor doing?"

Aoshi glared at Enishi, who gave a sly grin upon seeing Aoshi's annoyance to being called an actor. "It's horrible" replied Aoshi calmly, picking up his bag.

"Kaya-san! Aoshi-san! How could you leave us behind!"

The group turned to see Omasu and Okon finally pulling out of the airplane, looking thoroughly frazzled. Upon seeing them, Misao let out a shriek of joy.

"OMASU! OKON!" yelled Misao happily, hugging them tightly.

"MISAO!" shouted both of them in unison, hugging her back just as tightly.

"My head's really going to hurt now" muttered Enishi, causing Kaoru, Megumi, and Sanosuke to laugh.

* * *

Miyana stared outside at the rain as she watched the tea boiling. She had offered to make Hiko some tea, and he had surprisingly agreed, but insisted that a shot of sake be added to the delicious brew. She had made too much tea though.

"What are you still doing here?"

Miyana turned her head ever so slightly to see Saitou standing in the doorframe, his amber eyes glaring at her. She went back to staring at her tea, ignoring Saitou. She heard a rustle of cloth and suddenly felt a hand upon her shoulder, but she simply continued to ignore it.

"Don't you think this is too friendly of an environment for a murderer?" asked Saitou quietly, his voice rippling with hatred as his hand dug into her shoulder. Miyana simply didn't answer, but shut her eyes, trying to ignore his painful words.

"Answer me!" snarled Saitou, suddenly whirling her around and pushing her against a nearby wall.

**_"Answer me Miyana! Do you love me? Answer me! Do you love me?"_**

_**"Let go of me, please!"**_

_**"Do you love me? Answer my question!"**_

Miyana's eyes shot open and her foot flew up, connecting with Saitou's jaw. He fell back slightly, and she sank against the wall, her eyes wide with horror as she buried her face in her hands. Saitou merely stared at the girl for a moment.

_This is what she used to do when we tried to forcefully interrogate her at the police station, she always suddenly lashed out at us, as if she had just discovered that we were monsters. We checked her for signs of abuse, but there were none. Does she still think this act works on me? I'm no fool, I know she's pretending!_

"Get up and answer me" said Saitou evenly.

"You still don't believe me, do you?" she whispered, still on the floor, still hiding her face in her arms.

"Why should I believe the word of a murderer?" asked Saitou scathingly. "I know you are a murderer! There was never enough proof to prove it, but I know you were the one who murdered him."

Miyana stood up silently and removed the tea from the stove and poured it into two teacups. She placed one in Saitou's hand and began to walk out the door with the second cup, but she suddenly turned in the doorframe to meet Saitou's cool, cold eyes.

"I am no murderer" said Miyana calmly. "I don't expect you to believe my story, but until you come up with some kind of substantial proof of my guilt, I will not argue with you anymore."

She stalked away from the kitchen, leaving Saitou in the silence.

* * *

Enishi drove the car in perfect silence, and he prided himself on picking the perfect arrangement of the people in the cars.

He knew that Misao would be chatting nonstop, so he immediately let her sit in Okita's car. Kaya too, joined Okita, which was natural, considering they were boyfriend and girlfriend. Enishi however, took advantage of Aoshi's stoic nature to achieve the silence in his car, and sent the two, smiling, fairly talkative agents to Okita's car. Thus, he remained with Kaoru, Megumi, Sanosuke, and Aoshi.

But that wasn't the end of his plan. He immediately pulled Sano up front, away from his girlfriend, and he placed Aoshi in the back with the two girls. Since Kaoru and Megumi both did not know Aoshi that well, they too, remained silent after their efforts to create a conversation had failed miserably.

"Silence is golden" sang Enishi in his head, his happiness so great that he almost wanted to break out into song. Not that he would; he could only fathom how embarrassing that kind of outburst would be. Ordinarily, he wouldn't mind the loud noise having been so used to it after three years of hanging out with the same gang of friends. However, that day, a headache had been threatening to ruin the afternoon, and Enishi was not in the mood to take a pill and sleep early on account of a headache.

And it didn't help that Sanosuke's morning sing-along had been so horrid, nor did Misao's constant bickering, yelling, and knife throwing seem to ease his headache.

"This sucks" muttered Sanosuke darkly. Enishi shot Sano his typical glare before turning to the road again. Sano, tired of being bored and silent, decided to ask a question that might create some kind of noise.

"Hey, Aoshi, what's the plot of your movie?" asked Sano loudly, trying to shatter the intolerable silence. Enishi didn't care; he knew that Aoshi would answer concisely and the silence would return.

"It's about the wealthy Kagushi Ryou and the stunning Aritame Minako. She adores him for the money, he despises her because he doesn't believe in love-"

"No wonder you're good with this movie" muttered Sanosuke under his breath. "That's pure Aoshi…"

"But in the end, he falls in love with her and they live happily ever after" continued Aoshi, who was aware of Sano's mutterings but wisely chose to ignore them.

"How do they get together?" asked Megumi, intrigued with the movie.

"The plot just seems so natural!" said Kaoru enthusiastically. "It may be based on the negative aspects of love in the beginning, but in the end, the positive aspects of love outshine the negative aspects! It's just like present-day romance!"

"It is not."

"Nani?" asked Kaoru inquisitively. "Why do you say that?"

"Romance is not about positive overshadowing negative, it is about the betrayal that originates from romance" replied Aoshi, confidence blazing in his ice blue eyes. Kaoru's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Oh shit" whispered Sanosuke.

"Sano no baka, what have you started?" asked Megumi indignantly, making sure her voice did not rise above a whisper.

"I didn't know it would lead to this" he replied. Enishi scowled before addressing Kaoru and Aoshi.

"Alright, the rule in this car is perfect silence, so I must ask that you postpone your argument until-"

"How dare you say that romance is betrayal?" asked Kaoru angrily. "Love is beautiful, and if it weren't for love, you wouldn't be alive! How else do you think your parents conceived you?"

"There are such things as arranged marriages Kamiya, and consummation can occur despite the lack of love! Ever heard of rape?" replied Aoshi, his anger getting the best of him.

"Not all marriages are arranged you baka! There are many based on love, and those marriages create happy families! And I'm not talking about rape, I'm talking about love, when two people actually want to share their lives together!"

"Then explain the ever-increasing divorce-rates! Divorce is a clear sign that love is becoming betrayal!"

"Sano, see what you started!" shrieked Megumi.

"Hey, it's not my fault!" yelled Sano angrily.

"Couldn't you have just let the silence be?"

"It was unnerving! I had to break it somehow, but I had no clue this issue would cause an argument!"

Enishi growled under his breath as he drove down the highway, failing miserably as he tried to ignore the loud voices that increased his throbbing headache. He rubbed his forehead with his fingers and sighed as he pushed up his shades and tried his best to concentrate on the road rather than the painful yelling originating from the back seat and from the seat next to him.

_Why, why, why do I not have any luck today? My luck's so bad I actually wish I had brought Misao, Omasu, and Okon in this car…Okita, you lucky bastard…

* * *

_

**Oh...poor Enishi (laughs)...**

**He'll cheer up though...you'll see...it's a secret! (although if any of you have read any of my other works, it will be really obvious to you exactly what's going to happen!)**

**Aoshi and Kaoru really get along don't they?**

**Alright, reviews please! I'm trying to get over thirty, because thirty reviews is the most I have ever received, so it will really be wonderful if you review!**

**Ja ne till next Sunday!**


	8. Accquaintances And Worries

**Disclaimer - If I owned Rurouni Kenshin, would I be impatiently waiting for the 15th manga volume to come to Alaska?  
I rest my case.**

**I usually don't update this late on Sundays, but there was an Indian community gathering, and being an Indian, I was forced to go to the worst Thai food restaurant I've ever been in. Wonderful tempura and eggrolls, but everything else either tasted like ginger or had meat, so I survived on white rice, tempura, eggrolls, and two glasses of iced tea with cream...**

**And do you know how boring it is to see the same people everytime, especially if two of the kids don't really understand the meaning of "you're annoying me!"**

**Enough ranting though. I'm here to update! But first, reviewer responses!**

**WhiteRabbit5 - Yeah, had a lot of problems, as I discovered when I was unable to send a review...and I'm glad that the opening paragraph helped. You'll be seeing a lot more arguments from Kaoru and Aoshi, especially since Kaoru adores to sing love songs (I'll have to mention that some time soon...), and Aoshi finds them overrated...This is actually the first fic in which I'm actually slowing down and allowing a lot more interaction, and it makes me want to redo all the other fics...As for Enishi's plan of silence, well, I just thought it would be hilarious. Too bad it didn't work out though!**

**kawaii sakura-chan - Well, if you thought someone was a murderer and that that person was running around scot-free, I'm pretty sure you wouldn't be happy. Saitou's just more...vocal about his dislike for her. Kaoru and Aoshi's first meeting was quite harsh eh? Aoshi has a few issues, and you do find about them later as Kaoru discovers many facts about his past. I assure you, you will find out a lot about Miyana, because she becomes a very integral character in this fic!**

**Bradybunch4529 - Sigh! You don't know how wonderful it makes me feel to recieve such a great review! I was so worried about the interaction, but thanks to you, those worries have dissipated!**

**Alright, this chapter, there is very little that is new, but it kind of reveals a small secret about Sanosuke...hope you enjoy it anyways, and I'm sorry about the fact that my chapters are very short! Gomen nasai, but I don't get too much time to write, ad I'm hoping by writing this story I'll start writing longer chapters!**

**I'm boring you, so go ahead and read!**

* * *

**HOW IS THIS LOVE?**

"Shishou?"

"Yes Miyana?" answered Hiko, sipping the deliciously brewed tea Miyana had made for him. He especially liked the shot of sake she had added.

"I think it's stopped raining" said Miyana softly, pulling her trench coat on and pushing her hair behind her ears. "I should be going. Thank you and goodbye Shishou."

"Take care" said Hiko quietly. "Okina will call you for training sessions or about missions, so don't worry about that. Just don't let Saitou get you too depressed."

Miyana nodded her head slightly in acknowledgement and walked out the door in silence as Hiko took yet another sip of his tea.

* * *

"Love is so strong and pure and wonderful! Think of Romeo and Juliet!"

"Oh, you mean how they killed themselves? That's wonderful!"

Enishi groaned as he finally parked the car in front of the Aoiya and practically fled the car. After hearing Kaoru and Aoshi argue for twenty minutes straight, he was surprised that his headache hadn't caused him to collapse. Sanosuke and Megumi too, had escaped the car as quickly as they could.

"Hey what's going on in your car Enishi?" whispered Okita quietly, who had reached before Enishi.

"Kaoru and Aoshi are arguing" said Enishi with a scowl.

"Aoshi-sama seems to bringing about the angry side in Kaoru" noted Misao with a laugh.

"You don't say" muttered Enishi angrily, causing Sanosuke and Megumi to laugh.

"Aoshi-san usually doesn't raise his voice like that" said Kaya softly, an amused twinkle in her eyes. "Kaoru-san must really be able to get under his skin."

"We're going to go inside and talk with Okina" said Omasu and Okon, walking inside. "See you kids later!"

"Maybe we should leave to" replied Megumi with a laugh. "We can let those two argue in the car!"

"Hey, who's that?" yelled Misao suddenly, her hand pointing to a young girl walking away from the front steps of the Aoiya., her blue trench coat and long black hair blowing in the wind. ""Isn't the Aoiya closed?"

"It is" said Okita, slightly surprised. "So why-"

"Well, I don't know who she is, but that blue trench coat looks so good on her" replied Megumi thoughtfully.

She suddenly raised her hand to push her long hair back, causing the cuff of the coat to slip down and reveal a very delicate chain bracelet with six small stars hanging from the links, two with the letter 'K', two with the letter 'S', one with the letter 'M', and the last one with the letter 'H'. Sanosuke suddenly froze.

_It's been four years…is it really her?_

She began to walk away, and everyone began to climb up the steps. Megumi turned around to see Sanosuke staring after the girl.

"Sanosuke?" asked Megumi softly.

"Kitsune, just one minute! I'll be back in a minute, so don't worry!" yelled Sanosuke, turning away and running after the girl. Megumi watched him quietly, trying not to let her thoughts get the best of her.

_Why is he chasing after her…Sanosuke, what's going on? Who is this girl, and what is she to you?

* * *

_

"Miyana!"

Miyana turned around, confused, to see Sanosuke run right up to her, lift her off the ground, and spin her around in circles.

"Oh my gosh! Sanosuke…" whispered Miyana, her eyes sparkling despite the lack of cheer on her face. "What are you doing here? Where have you been for the past four years?"

"I've been here and there, but god Miyana, where have you been?" asked Sanosuke. Miyana's eyes suddenly took on a sad hue.

"I've been where you left me four years ago" whispered Miyana. "All of you left after Captain's assassination, but I was still there…"

"You were the person that kept Sekihotai Agency running?" asked Sanosuke in disbelief. "Miyana, I had no clue! If I did, I would've come to help, but-"

"You seem happy" said Miyana softly. "And for that, I am happy. Don't think about me. I'm still the same girl I used to be."

"No you're not."

Miyana looked up at Sanosuke in surprise, and he gave a small smile.

"You've lost that smile you always wore" said Sanosuke softly. "What happened to you in the last four years that hurt you so much?"

"I have to go" whispered Miyana, prying herself from Sanosuke's arms. His hand suddenly shot out and grabbed her wrist, causing her to turn with surprise.

"Alright, I won't ask you about your past" muttered Sanosuke. "But could you at least come and visit my friends? They're right here, at the Aoiya!"

"Wait…Sanosuke, are you a secret agent?" asked Miyana softly. Sanosuke nodded, a broad smile on his face.

"My friends and I, with the exception of Misao, are all secret agents!" he declared, trying to keep his voice low. "But how do you know?"

"I'm closing down the Sekihotai Agency" said Miyana sadly. "Okina-san offered me a job at the Hiten Agency, and Himura-san and the others accepted me as a secret agent."

"So now you're one of the gang!" said Sanosuke with a wink. "So come on, and I'll introduce you!"

* * *

"Misao-chan! You have a phone call!"

Misao managed to tear herself away from her friends to rush towards the phone that Okina held in his hand. She suddenly noticed the smug smirk that adorned his face.

"Gramps, why are you smiling?" asked Misao curiously, her eyes dangerously narrow. "Are you playing a prank on me?"

"Of course not!" said Okina, grinning widely as he tossed the phone to Misao. "Have fun talking to him!"

"Him?" pondered Misao out loud. "Hello?" she asked.

"Hi Misao! Do you remember me? I'm Soujirou, from the aiport!"

"Soujirou!" squealed Misao happily. "Why are you calling so suddenly?"

"I couldn't forget you" said Soujirou with a laugh. "So I wanted to see if you would help satisfy my curiosity about you. Meet you at the Akabeko at eight today?"

"Sure!" replied Misao happily, her eyes shining with delight. "I'll see you there!"

"I'm looking forward to it" said Soujirou cheerfully. "See you at eight!"

"Bye!" whispered Misao softly. She gave a happy sigh as she placed the phone in the receiver. Okina's grin grew even wider.

"So Misao-chan, you finally have a date!" yelled Okina happily. "After so many years, some boy actually had the courage to ask you out! He must be the bravest man in the world!"

Suddenly, Okina found himself pinned to the wall with kunai.

"So how much time do I have until eight?" wondered Misao out loud. Her glance drifted towards the grand grandfather clock nearby.

"KAORU! MEGUMI! KAYA! HELP ME! I HAVE ONLY TWO HOURS TILL MY DATE!"

* * *

"So what's been going on with you Aoshi?" asked Okita. "How was life as actors for you and Kaya?"

"Quite dull" replied Aoshi shortly, before returning to his book. Okita looked at Enishi, who simply shrugged.

"I'm bored" whispered Okita. "Strike up some sort of conversation!"

"I'm all out of ideas" muttered Enishi. "I kind of wish the girls were here to actually fill up the silence."

Suddenly, the door slammed open revealing Sanosuke and a girl standing right next to him.

"I'm here to rescue you all from the boredom that only Shinomori can bring to our lives!" said Sanosuke with a smirk. Aoshi simply picked up another book and threw it at Sanosuke's head.

"Stupid rooster" he muttered, not bothering to look up from his book.

"As I was saying" muttered Sanosuke. "Here's one of my childhood friends, Sagara Miyana. Sagara Miyana, this is Shinomori Aoshi, the ice man, Soushi Okita, the smiley man, and Yukishiro Enishi, the cynical man."

Aoshi looked up from his book to stare at Miyana inquisitively. "Sagara Miyana, the head of the Sekihotai Agency?" asked Aoshi, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Okita and Enishi simply stared at Miyana in surprise when she nodded slightly, acknowledging Aoshi's question. Then the questions came from Okita and Enishi.

"How the hell do you know this idiot rooster?"  
"Why are you here?"

"If you're here, then what's going on with the Sekihotai Agency?"

"Do you have any embarrassing stories about Sanosuke?"

"Calm down you two!" yelled Sanosuke. "Let her at least answer the questions! And Okita, she is not going to answer the last question!"

"I've known Sanosuke ever since I was ten" said Miyana softly. "I've come here because I wanted to become a secret agent for the Hiten Agency. I was forced to close down the Sekihotai Agency, and Sagara-san was close friends with Okina-san so I decided to join this agency."

"Wait, so Sanosuke was actually part of the Sekihotai Agency before he came here?" asked Enishi suddenly. "You idiot, you never told us that!"

"It must have slipped my mind" replied Sanosuke with a sheepish grin, earning him eye rolls from both Enishi and Okita. Aoshi simply placed down his book.

"Why were you forced to close down the Agency?" asked Aoshi. Miyana's eyes widened and she looked at Sanosuke for help, her eyes pleading him to help her to answer.

"Employment issues" said Sanosuke hurriedly, squeezing Miyana's hand gently to reassure her that he would her keep silent about her past.

_I just hope that one day you will open up and tell us about your past…I don't want you to keep it inside you forever…_

Aoshi gave a nod and returned to his book.

Sanosuke's stomach gave a sudden rumble, and he looked down at it with a sheepish grin.

"I'm hungry!" he declared. "Okita, make some food!"

"Enishi's the cook among us" replied Okita with a grin. "Enishi, make something!"

"Whatever made you think that I was a cook?" muttered Enishi. "Sano, you're the one who started this, so you should be the one to end this!"

"If it's not too much trouble, I'll make something" said Miyana softly. Enishi and Okita began to shake their heads and motioned for her to sit down.

"No, that's alright, you don't have-"

"That'll be great Miyana, thanks!" replied Sanosuke with a huge grin, interrupting Enishi and Okita's polite efforts to prevent her from doing too much work. Miyana ruffled Sanosuke's hair slightly before leaving the room.

"Any reason why she never smiles?" asked Okita quietly. Sanosuke shrugged.

"She used to smile a lot when she was younger" answered Sanosuke. "I don't know what happened, and she doesn't really want to talk about it, so I didn't pressure her."

"It looks like we have another Aoshi on our hands!" said Enishi with a grin.

"A prettier, much better looking Aoshi!" chimed in Sanosuke.

Another book went flying towards Sanosuke.

* * *

_Sanosuke…who was that girl? Why were you chasing after her? Is there something you're hiding from me, something I need to know…what's going on?_

"Megumi?"

Megumi shook her head slightly and looked up at an expectant Misao.

"Any other ideas about what I should wear?" asked Misao hurriedly.

"Misao, how about this tank top?" replied Megumi with an exhausted sigh, dangling the sparkly sea-green tank top by its hanger. Misao snatched it from Megumi's hands and held it up in front of the mirror.

"You really think this would look good?" inquired Misao, spinning in front of the mirror while holding it front of her.

"I think it would look really pretty Misao" said Kaya with a grin. "Especially with that cute black skirt and jacket. Just throw in a pair of dangly earrings and you'll look stunning!"

"Anyways, you don't have any other options" giggled Kaoru. "Your bed is heaped with clothes, and that was the last item in the closet! Just go with the outfit and Soujirou's eyes will pop out!"

"Alright then, I'm going to go change!" shrieked Misao excitedly. "Could you guys find my dangly silver earrings and my silver watch?" she called out as she walked into her bathroom. Megumi reached over and thumbed through the jewelry, carefully selecting the items and placing them on Misao's vanity dresser.

"Misao's really happy, isn't she?" whispered Kaya quietly. "She still has that innocence and naiveté that we no longer bear."

"Misao's only nineteen, so she has two more years" said Megumi softly. "And I think Okina is desperately wishing for her not to join the agency."

"After all, she's the granddaughter of his best friend, the previous owner of the agency" murmured Kaoru. "Of course he doesn't want to place her in harm's way!"

"Let's just hope that she never discovers this agency" said Kaya quietly. The bathroom door suddenly slammed open, revealing a gorgeous Misao, her skirt billowing around her calves and the sparkly tank top shimmering in the light. Her braid had been wrapped into a bun, held in place by a sea green chopstick.

"Oh my gosh, Soujirou's going to die!" squealed Kaoru. Megumi grinned and passed the jewelry to Misao, who quickly fastened the earrings and slipped the watch on her wrist.

"What time is it?" asked Misao excitedly. Kaoru quickly peered at her watch.

"Seven forty-five" said Kaoru cheerfully. "Why?"

"I ONLY HAVE FIFTEEN MINUTES!" shrieked Misao. She slipped on a pair of turquoise high heels and fled down the stairs.

"Wish me luck guys!" yelled Misao.

"Good luck!" called out Kaoru, Kaya, and Megumi, identical smiles on their faces as they watched Misao slam the door behind her and call for a taxi.

"You know, Misao may be going out for dinner, but I'm starving!" exclaimed Kaya. "I'm going to go to the kitchen and make everyone something to eat, alright?"

"No Kaya" replied Megumi firmly. "You've had a long trip, and you should relax and talk to Okita! I'll make dinner!"

"And I'll help!" chimed in Kaoru. Megumi glared at Kaoru.

"Kaoru?" she asked quietly.

"Yes?" answered Kaoru.

"When did you last help me cook?" asked Megumi sweetly.

"Two weeks ago!" replied Kaoru.

"What did I ask you to make?"

"Rice."

"And how did it turn out?"

"Oh" replied Kaoru dejectedly, finally understanding Megumi's point. "Alright, I won't help! I'll just sit with Kaya!"

"What did you do the rice?" asked Kaya curiously.

"Let's just say that we ate charcoal that day" said Megumi with an evil fox laugh. "Now, let's go downstairs, and I'll make dinner."

Kaya and Kaoru rushed downstairs to join the boys in their conversation. Megumi was about to sit down and brood in her thoughts about Sanosuke and the girl when she suddenly heard a loud shout.

"Jou-chan! I'm so bored! Have another fight with Ice-man!"

"You stupid rooster!"

Megumi gave a small laugh, slightly relieved that Sanosuke was no longer chasing after strange girls, before stepping into kitchen…

And coming face-to-face with the girl he had chased two hours ago.

* * *

**Dum dum dum! (corny dramatic music plays here!)**

**Anyways, Sanosuke's exact relation to Captain Sagara and the Sekihotai agency will be explained later (actually in the next chapter or so), so I left it a bit incomplete in this chapter! But Miyana has a friend now!**

**As for Sanosuke and Megumi, don't worry, they'll get by!**

**Misao and Soujirou's date will also be described in an upcoming chapter, so you get to find out about that as well!**

**Anyways, thanks for reading, and please review! Reviews are my only fun reading materials until Alaskan stores update their manga collections! So please review!**

**Ja ne, and see you next Sunday!**


	9. Serious Talks And Dates

**Disclaimer - Alright, I'll admit it...I am the mastermind behind Rurouni Kenshin (Watsuki's just my pen name!)  
Ruroken Cast - That's it!  
Bokkens, Shinais, Reverse-blade swords, katanas, fists, kodachis, kunais, and every other weapon in Rurouni Kenshin suddenly points towards Hitoezakura.  
Hitoezakura - Fine, I DON'T OWN KENSHIN! And...why the heck is the Jackal pointing towards me? ALUCARD!  
Alucard (From hellsing) - What? I wanted to join in on the bloodshed!  
Hitoezakura - OUT! ALL OF YOU!**

**HITOEZAKURA IS A LIAR!**

**For all of you who read the manga, Watsuki writes that he is a liar quite often. Now, it is I who is the liar. I said I updated every Sunday, but after missing three Sundays, I realize that that's a very big lie. And I feel so guilty, because on every review I recieved, the reviewer wrote "update soon". I'M SO SORRY! I usually write my chapters on the weekend, but they've gone by too quickly. The first weekend, my dog escaped from a pet salon, and my family spent five hours searching for him because neither the salon nor Animal control had enough people to help us. When we finally found our dog, he was soaking wet (it was hailing that day) and limping, so we nursed him back to health for the weekend. The next weekend, I spent at my friend's house, and I didn't want to go on the internet because she's only allowed on the internet at night, and that's the only time she can talk to her boyfriend (I mean, fiance) because he works all day. This weekend, we went hiking, and then my mother insisted that this weekend was the perfect weekend to clean the house, so there went that weekend. So I apologize, and hope that you enjoy this chapter!**

**But first, reviewer responses!**

**Bradybunch4529 – Yes, Kaoru and Aoshi do upset each other quite easily, but hey, that was the point of the story! The book throwing idea came from my brother and I. He usually interrupts me a lot during the day, and the first thing my hand always reaches to is a book, so I throw it at him! As for Megumi and Sano…well, no one's going to be happy with the cliffhanger, but I really wanted their moment to be perfect!**

**Nilnil – Yes, the tension between Aoshi and Kaoru is hilarious, and yes you did guess correctly about Saitou and Miyana. Thanks for reviewing!**

**WhiteRabbit5 – No, Miyana won't be a threat to Megumi, I assure you, and Megumi and Sanosuke do end up working out their problems, so don't worry! Soujirou and Misao's date actually comes up in this chapter, so cheer (I said upcoming because I wasn't entirely sure about the order of some things). However, I won't reveal the end of their date in the next chapter. Kaoru and Aoshi will continue to argue, but it will become a bit more quiet rather than extremely loud yelling. Miyana…I regret making her such an eccentric character (all the crying and the hidden past and what not), but she does open up more throughout the fic, and in the future chapters, you figure out why! As for more Kaya moments, I've been planning it out. I don't tend to lump all the characters together all the time because then I can't reveal any major secrets or hidden pasts or what not, and their personality doesn't shine, so I plan out many moments with one character alone. Thanks for reviewing!**

**Crewel – This chapter isn't S & M, but the next chapter or so will star them! I'm glad I didn't make you worry too much, and I would like to apologize to you. You reviewed "Behind Those Eyes" and requested me to write a S&M pairing, and I unfortunately received no time to create one. I hope this fic will prove to be worthy though! Thanks for reviewing!**

**Alright, quick blurb about this chapter. It does contain the very first part of Misao and Soujirou's date (I am horrible at writing about dates, so it's going to be extremely horrible, but please don't kill me, because I have a good idea of what I'm going to do at the end of the date...hehe...), and Miyana and Sanosuke have a quick heart-to-heart, where you discover that Miyana is rather perceptive, and you discover a small secret about her past! This chapter is about five pages, so it's still the same size, but I will update sooner, so don't fear!**

**Alright, on to the story!**

* * *

**HOW IS THIS LOVE?**

"Who are you?" whispered Megumi, her eyes flashing with barely-controlled anger. "And what do you want with Sanosuke?"

The girl set down the dish she was holding and held out her hand.

"I'm Sagara Miyana" said the girl softly. "You must be Takani-san. Sanosuke told me a lot about you in so little time."

"Sagara?" asked Megumi. "Sanosuke had a sister?"

"You could say we're brother sister" answered Miyana quietly. "We've know each other ever since we were ten, and we were both part of the Sekihotai Agency. But we're not related by blood."

"Wait a minute, Sanosuke was part of the Sekihotai Agency?" asked Megumi, slightly upset that Sanosuke had never told her about his past. "How could he keep that a secret from me?"

"Aren't there some parts of your past that hurt so much that you wish never to reveal them?" asked Miyana softly. Megumi's eyes widened as her mind suddenly backtracked to the past.

"_**Mommy! Daddy! Where are you? Please, don't leave me in here! Please don't leave me here!"**_

Megumi didn't answer, but instead simply looked away and began to help Miyana with the cooking, although she didn't seem to need much help; all the food was almost prepared.

_I can't believe this! How could Sanosuke keep such a big secret hidden from me? I thought we were finally going somewhere, but…what kind of trust can we share if we don't confide in each other?_

_Then again, haven't I kept secrets from him as well? Can I truly blame him if I too, don't confide in him?_

"Takani-san?"

"Yes?" replied Megumi a bit coldly.

"I've never seen Sanosuke's eyes light up so brightly as they do when he talks about you" said Miyana softly. "You two make an excellent pair, and I don't think there is anyone better for Sanosuke than you…"

Megumi smiled softly, realizing what the girl was implying.

"Thanks" whispered Megumi. "I'm sorry for my earlier actions…I just thought-"

"That I was a threat." finished Miyana, turning off the stove. "I'm sorry too. I should've explained myself earlier as well, rather than making you worry so much."

Megumi shook off her apology. "You don't need to apologize" answered Megumi firmly, picking up a few of the dishes and heading out to the table. Miyana picked up the last few dishes and stared at Megumi's retreating figure.

_Takani-san…with Sanosuke as a boyfriend, you are going to need all the help you can get to make him confide his secrets in you…

* * *

_

"So the weasel's on a date, huh?" wondered Sanosuke out loud, chuckling. "Must be the eighth wonder of the world!"

"So how many eighth wonder of the worlds are there?" asked Enishi. He held up his hand and began ticking off the numerous eighth wonders of the world.

"Wonder number one, Misao has a date, two, Kaoru actually managed to get onto Shinomori's nerves, three, Sanosuke actually has a woman friend he hasn't tried to hit on, four, Sanosuke managed to get Megumi, five, Sanosuke…"

"Wait a minute, why am I showing up in this list of yours multiple times?" growled Sanosuke angrily.

_And what made you guys think that I didn't hit on Miyana four years ago…maybe I shouldn't say that out loud…_

"What do you think?" asked Kaoru with a giggle.

"You should be pleased Sanosuke" replied Kaya with a teasing smile. "You're actually accomplishing everything we thought was impossible for you!"

The whole group burst out into laughter as the angry tic mark on Sanosuke's forehead grew horrifyingly large.

"Dinner is ready!"

Sanosuke's anger dissipated immediately and was replaced by sheer delight as Miyana and Megumi set down dish after dish on the table, passing around plates to the whole group.

"FOOD!" yelled Sanosuke happily, immediately digging in to the mass of food.

"Idiot" muttered everyone else in union, with the sole exception of Kaya and Miyana. Kaya laughed, while Miyana simply shook her head.

"Has he changed a bit ever since you've known him?" asked Enishi, raising an eyebrow towards Miyana, who shook her head gently.

"Not one bit."

* * *

"Keep the change!" yelled out Misao, hopping out of the taxi as she stuffed some bills into the awaiting hand. As the taxi drove away, she made sure her bun was in place and checked herself over for rips, stains, and missing jewelry.

"You look stunning."

Misao whirled around, her eyes widened in surprise as she saw Soujirou standing behind her, wearing a dark blue full sleeved shirt and soft black jeans.

"Don't sneak up on me!" she exclaimed, holding her hand to her heart to stop it from beating so quickly due to extreme surprise.

That wasn't the only reason her heart was beating so quickly, and perhaps Soujirou's devastatingly handsome appearance was causing her erratic beating patterns.

_That airport lighting must be really crappy and dim! He looks even more handsome in the moonlight! Misao, don't scare this one away!_

"Sorry!" said Soujirou with a smile. "I didn't mean to! Gomen nasai!"

"It's alright" said Misao with a grin, still looking slightly dazed as Soujirou's bright blue eyes looked apologetic and kind.

"So shall we?" asked Soujirou with a small bow, holding out his hand. Misao placed her hand in his, the dazed look dissipating as her heartbeat increased, if that was actually possible.

"Let's!" she exclaimed, the smile on her face growing wider. Soujirou's smile widened as they stepped through the doorway of the Akabeko only to see…

"MISAO-CHAN!"

Misao almost cringed as Tae emerged from the back, a devilish gleam in her eyes as her eyes darted on Misao and Soujirou's figures. As her gaze fell upon their linked hands, the gleam seemed to grow even more devilish, if possible.

"Oh, hello Soujirou-san!" said Tae with a grin. "It's a wonderful surprise to see you again! Would you like me to seat you two at the special table you reserved this afternoon?" she asked, giving Misao a devious wink. Misao shot a dangerous glare back at the giddy and cheerful woman.

"Of course Tae-dono!" replied Soujirou with a smile, unaware of Misao's threatening glances towards Tae in the background. Tae gave Misao another wink, totally immune to the glares Misao was directing towards her, and seated both Soujirou and Misao at a beautifully decorated table. Fresh flowers adorned the centerpiece and two tapering candles sat right next to the centerpiece, creating a romantic mood at the table.

"Well, here are some menus, and I'll come by in a few minutes to take your order!" called out Tae cheerfully as she disappeared into the back, an evil gleam in her eyes as she watched Misao and Soujirou begin to talk and laugh.

_Well, Misao-chan…this time, I'll make sure that this relationship lasts!

* * *

_

"Why do I have to help you wash the dishes?" grumbled Sanosuke, buried underneath countless pots and pans. Miyana gave him a quick glare in order to silence his grumbling.

"Sanosuke, I thought you would like to spend some time talking to me" replied Miyana softly, dumping her dishes into the sink and rinsing them off carefully before placing them in the dishwasher. She motioned for Sanosuke to do the same.

"So what did you want to talk about?" asked Sanosuke bluntly. "I know you well enough to sense when you have something on your mind."

"Why didn't you tell Takani-san that you were once part of the Sekihotai Agency?" asked Miyana gently. Sanosuke smiled sadly as he rinsed the dishes.

"Why should I sadden her with my past?" asked Sanosuke. "I don't want to see her worry or cry, I want to see her happy. She's different from all the other girls…and I don't want to lose her…"

"And hiding such a huge part of your life from her will make her happy?" asked Miyana incredulously. "Sanosuke, you've been with so many girls, but you have yet to learn the matters of a woman's heart."

"What do you mean?" asked Sanosuke indignantly.

"In order for a woman to trust a man, the man must confide his secrets to her first. By doing this, he will be proving that he is open for commitment, and he will eliminate the insecurities the woman might have. Megumi will never confide in you if you don't confide in her, because she's scared that you might never want to put all your trust into her."

"You've got to be joking Miyana" replied Sanosuke with a chuckle. "Megumi doesn't scare that easily! She's pretty self-confident, and she's not as insecure as you're implying her to be!"

"Tell me then, how would you feel if Megumi ran up to a random man, hugged him tightly, and then brought him back in front of you?" asked Miyana quietly.

"I would blow up of course!" said Sanosuke with a laugh. "I mean, he's some random guy, and suddenly, Megumi's all chummy with him!"

"And what made you think that you bringing me here would be any different?" asked Miyana. Sanosuke stopped laughing immediately, and his eyes widened with realization.

"I didn't realize that…" muttered Sanosuke. "Shit!" he yelled, banging his fist on the counter in frustration. "What am I going to do?"

"You are going to talk to her" answered Miyana firmly. "And I don't mean tomorrow. I mean now! Take a walk or something, but you have to talk to her!"

Sanosuke stuffed his hands into his pockets when his left hand suddenly brushed against cold metal. He pulled out his hand to reveal the car keys in his pocket.

"I think I'll take Megumi on a ride now" replied Sanosuke with a grin. "Thanks Miyana, and I'll see you later!"

He quickly left the kitchen, leaving Miyana with a pile of dishes to rinse. As she proceeded to clean once again, her own mind traveled back in time.

**_"Trust…faith…and friendship" whispered Miyana with a giggle. "The three pillars of the strongest bond in the world – love! Wouldn't you agree?"_**

**_He laughed as he picked her up and twirled her around, causing her to giggle harder. _**

_**"Of course I agree" he whispered softly. **_

CRASH!

Miyana looked down at the now shattered mug that she had been cleaning. She carefully picked up the sharp shards of glass.

_It's been a year now…so why can't I forget you? You lied every moment you were with me, and still…I can't forget you…Why?

* * *

_

"Oh, come on Aoshi, you can't remain a block of ice forever!" called out Enishi with an evil grin. "I'm betting that whatever happens to Ryou in your movie will happen to you!"

A book went soaring towards Enishi, who gracefully dodged it. He unfortunately did not notice the second book, and was promptly hit in the head with a very large, and very painful book.

"I hope you learned your lesson" replied Aoshi coldly, sending Megumi, Kaya, Kaoru, and Okita into gales of laughter.

"But Aoshi-san, I know that one day, you will fall in love" said Kaya softly, startling Aoshi greatly. "When someone looks underneath your icy exterior, they'll be able to see the Aoshi-san I see."

"After all, name one person who can't fall in love!" exclaimed Kaoru with a grin.

"Hiko Seijuurou" answered Aoshi. Kaoru rolled her eyes.

"Must you contradict every single thing I say?" asked Kaoru sarcastically.

"Of course I must, if I wish to prove your idea about love is wrong" retorted Aoshi. Within a few seconds, Aoshi and Kaoru commenced a glaring contest. Megumi and Kaya began to giggle.

"Hey Kitsune."

Megumi jumped and whirled around to see Sanosuke standing behind her, a grin on his face.

"What do you want Sanosuke?" asked Megumi with a smile, trying to hide the slightly insecure feelings in her heart.Sanosuke quickly pulled her behind him and ushered her out the door.

"Sanosuke, what are you doing?" asked Megumi, laughing as Sanosuke picked her up.

"We are going on a drive!" exclaimed Sanosuke triumphantly.

"Sano no baka, for the last time, I am not going to do it in a car!" yelled Megumi angrily.

"Why not?" asked Sanosuke with a pitiful face as he opened the car door and placed her on the seat. Megumi rolled her eyes, but the wide smile on her face reassured Sanosuke that she was not taking him seriously.

"Actually" whispered Sanosuke as he sat in the driver's seat. "I was hoping we could talk."

"About what?" asked Megumi quietly.

"About us."

* * *

**I know someone out there is going to kill me for writing cliffhanger endings to chapters...**

**Anyways, I wanted to clear up a few things (just in case it wasn't clear in the story). Miyana did love someone in the past (gasp!). Also, despite her worries, Megumi smiles a lot at the end of this chapter because she doesn't want Sanosuke to know that she's feeling a bit insecure (she doesn't know if she should take the first step or not). And third, just because Miyana doesn't smile doesn't mean she's gloomy. She's quiet, but she's not trying to be gloomy! And bold italics are flashbacks, while regular italics are just thoughts!**

**Food for the thought - two cars are outside - Okita's and Enishi's. If Sanosuke pulled out car keys, whose car did he take? You'll find out next chapter!**

**Future chapters - The end of Soujirou's and Misao's date, Sanosuke and Megumi's talk, Okita and Kaya's private time, Aoshi and Kaoru alone, and a secret about Enishi revealed! Keep reading!**

**Thanks for reading, sorry for the late update, and please review! (I recieved 135 hits and 35 reviews...please feel free to leave anonymous reviews if you don't wish to give an email address)**

**Ja ne!**


	10. An Eventful Night Part I

**Disclaimer - Praise me, praise me! Yes, it is I, the creator of Rurouni Kenshin, who speaks to you at this very moment!  
Kunai, kodachis, bokkens, shinais, sakabatous, katanas, multiple other swords, and a set of fists come flying at Hitoezakura.  
Hitoezakura - So I don't own Kenshin, nor do I own the song "It's Gonna Rain", a song from the Kenshin soundtrack.  
Alucard - Good girls are never liars.  
Hitoezakura - For the love of god, get out of here! You're not even from Rurouni Kenshin! I will read/watch Hellsing as soon as my brother gives it to me, so stop bothering me!**

**Alright, so once again, I'm a bit late updating, but we're tiling all of the upstairs and repainting the whole house, so I haven't had much time...and oh, just a little note. If I make a bunch of spelling errors in these chapters, I'm sorry, but my so-called editor refuses to read this story (mention AK pairings to her and she goes "eeeeew", so I don't think I'll bother with her). We have a Shigure-Mii (from furuba) relationship, although she's more like Shigure, and I'm more like Mii, so I think we need to reverse roles...**

**Okay, review responses!**

**Ardenilia – My dog's fine now (he's the most resilient dog I've ever met), and it's really sweet of you to ask. I know in certain chapters there are absolutely no KaoruAoshi interactions, but that's because I get very carried away with other couples (haha). Kaoru crying because of Aoshi…I think I planned it, but I'm not entirely sure what Aoshi's reaction is going to be. **

**Crewel – Thanks! I'm really happy that you liked the Sanosuke Megumi interaction, and I really hope I do justice to them in the future, because when I first read the manga, I didn't think they would make a good couple, but after watching the anime, I think they're wonderful together! **

**Bradybuch4529 – Your review made my day, thank you so much! I'm sorry about not updating sooner, but I'm glad it was worth the wait! **

**Blooded wyngs – New reader, new reader! It's alright if it's only your first review, as long as you give me feedback! Thanks so much for reading my fic out of the myriad of fics that actually exist. No, this story isn't really for Kaoru and Kenshin lovers, and as for Kenji being Tomoe and Kenshin's son…well, now that you mention it, I could have named him something else…sorry. Kenji is really Kaoru's son, and I should've put a bit more thought into naming Tomoe and Kenshin's son. I hope this doesn't hurt you too much. As for Saitou…of course I'm not going to tell! I like keeping people in suspense (usually because at home, I'm always kept in suspense, and it's good to be on the other side). Yes, if the story works out like I want it to, the Saitou Miyana conflict will be a very big mystery, and I'm not going to reveal the end of it for a long time! Thanks for reviewing, and I hope to see another review from you!**

**It seems like I keep on losing readers...although I think I have plenty of readers who don't review! If you are one of those people, could you please just send one review so that I know that you like the story? I would love that, and it would certainly make my day to recieve new reviewers...**

**Anyways, this is a fairly long chapter, so enjoy!**

* * *

**HOW IS THIS LOVE?**

Tae spied on Soujirou and Misao from the kitchens, watching their faces light up with laughter all throughout a delicious dinner of beef pot, soba, onigiri, and miso, all prepared by Tae herself. A vicious gleam suddenly shone in Tae's eyes as the most wonderful idea came to her.

_I'll make sure this will be a date that Misao will never forget…I just need to hope that it will rain!_

A young girl suddenly walked through the doors, carrying an empty tray and an order in her hand. Tae immediately made a beeline for her.

"Tsubame, is that Misao-chan's and Soujirou-san's order?" asked Tae eagerly. Tsubame nodded, causing her short brown hair to ripple slightly as she handed Tae the order.

"Alright Tsubame, I'll take care of this order. Just find Sen for me and tell him to come here immediately!" replied Tae, a small smirk growing on her face.

"Miss Tae, you aren't planning to interfere in their date, are you?" asked Tsubame softly. Tae simply laughed.

"You'll see Tsubame" replied Tae quietly, a malicious gleam in her eyes as she rubbed her hands together excitedly.

* * *

"Where's Sanosuke and Megumi?" asked Enishi curiously. "I haven't heard that idiot's loud voice for fifteen minutes now. That's unnatural!"

"I think they went for a long walk" replied Kaya. "I just hope that it doesn't rain. I don't want them to catch colds."

"Relax" said Okita with a grin. "Megumi's a doctor. She'd have to be one in order to deal with Sanosuke's occasional stupidity!"

"Occasional?" muttered Enishi under his breath. "Try constant…"

The Aoiya chime clock rang out, ten chimes in monotony, causing Miyana to stand up suddenly.

"I should leave now" she said softly. "It was a pleasure to meet you all."

"It was wonderful meeting you!" said Kaya with a smile.

"Come by again anytime and hang out with us!" chimed in Okita.

"You can come by mine and Megumi's apartment anytime!" said Kaoru with a grin. Miyana nodded politely.

"Thank you" she whispered before turning away. Enishi immediately stood up and ran after her, leaving Aoshi and Okita dismayed.

"Why did he chase her suddenly?" asked Okita incredulously. Kaoru gave a small laugh.

"As cynical as he may seem, Enishi's quite the gentleman. He doesn't like seeing any woman walking alone on the streets at night, so he's probably offering to give her a ride or something!" said Kaoru with a grin.

* * *

"Sagara-san?"

Miyana turned around inquisitively to see Enishi behind her, reaching out to hold the door open for her.

"You can call me Miyana Yukishiro-san. What are you doing?" asked Miyana, pulling on her trenchcoat as she stepped outside.

"Well, I don't want to see you walk on the streets alone at this hour, so I decided to give you a ride which you are not permitted to refuse" said Enishi with a grin, pushing his shades up his nose. "And call me Enishi, I can't stand being called Yukishiro-san!"

"I don't mean to be rude Enishi-san, but if Okita-san and you are both still here, and both of you brought cars, then which one of you is missing a car?"

"WHAT?"

Enishi looked out in the parking lot only to see his parking space devoid of his beloved car. His eyes suddenly narrowed with fury.

"Sagara Sanosuke, you're going to pay for this!" he yelled out into the air. "I'm taking back my car keys, you bastard!"

Miyana simply shook her head.

_Sanosuke you idiot! When I told you to talk to Takani-san, I didn't tell you to steal your friend's car in order to take her on a joyride!_

"Enishi-san, it's perfectly fine if you don't give me a ride. Don't worry" said Miyana softly. "I can just walk."

"Then I'll walk you home" declared Enishi as he walked ahead. "My sister told me that a man should never let a woman walk home alone."

"Your sister?" asked Miyana curiously, starting to walk alongside Enishi. Enishi smiled softly.

"Yukishiro Tomoe" answered Enishi. "She's the most important person in my life. Oneesan took care of me when our parents died, and she raised me using the money she made as a secret agent. I discovered the Hiten Agency through her and immediately joined the day I turned 21."

"So is she still a secret agent?" asked Miyana softly. Enishi's face twisted slightly with disgust and anger.

"She married Himura and had a kid named Kenji, so she's on leave for some time. I don't mind Kenji, but I can't stand Himura. I hate that man!" growled Enishi angrily.

"Kamiya-san seems to like him a lot" murmured Miyana quietly. "I asked her about him because he was Shishou's first pupil, and her eyes seemed to light up as she spoke about him."

Enishi's eyes flickered with anger upon hearing about Kaoru. "Of course Kaoru likes him! Everyone likes him! But to me, he will always be the man who stole my sister away from me!"

"Are you angry because he stole your sister from you, or because he stole Kamiya-san from you?"

Thunder rumbled from afar and lightening flashed in the sky.

* * *

"You know, I should return home" said Kaya softly, looking at her watch. "I called obaasan to tell her I would be arriving at home late, but I don't want to make her worry."

"Alright, I'll drop you home" replied Okita with a smile. "Kaoru, do you need a ride back home?"

"No Okita, I'll walk back home!" exclaimed Kaoru cheerfully. "You and Kaya need some time alone, and the weather outside is beautiful, so walking home would be wonderful!"

"Thanks Kaoru" said Okita gratefully, pulling Kaya's coat off her seat and slipping onto Kaya. "See you guys later!"

"Bye Aoshi-san! Kaoru, it was a pleasure to meet you!" said Kaya cheerfully, a smile on her face as she waved to both Aoshi and Kaoru. The door shut behind the happy couple, leaving Aoshi and Kaoru in silence.

* * *

"Misao-chan?"

Misao's head snapped up to see Tae standing in front of her with a smile.

"Oh! I need to pay the bill, don't I?" replied Misao suddenly, fishing through her purse for money.

"There's no need Misao-chan!" answered Tae with a laugh. "Soujirou paid five minutes ago, but…did he leave you here alone?" asked Tae incredulously. Misao started to laugh upon seeing the panic written on Tae's face.

"No, he just went to use the facilities" answered Misao.

"How has your date been so far?" asked Tae, a gleam in her eyes, a grin spreading across her face. Misao laughed happily.

"Sou-chan's been so wonderful! I really hope this relationship works out!" replied Misao with a sigh.

"Oh, Misao-chan, you need to come behind the counter immediately. Aoshi-san's on the phone!" Tae blurted out suddenly. "In my excitement to figure out how your date went, I forgot to tell you about the phone call!"

Misao immediately rose from her seat and ran towards the counter before answering the phone breathlessly. "Aoshi-sama?"

"Misao, how long is your date going to last?" asked Aoshi's voice from the other side of the phone.

_Strange…Aoshi-sama's voice doesn't sound as quiet and cold as it usually is…maybe he's starting to open up!_

"I don't think Sou-chan has anything else planned, but I haven't asked him yet" answered Misao.

"Just come back home before midnight" ordered Aoshi before hanging up the phone. Misao gave the phone a mock angry glare.

_Okay, so he hasn't opened up…was it too much too hope for?_

Misao walked back to her table to realize that Tae had disappeared. She immediately figured that Tae had to usher her customers out of the restaurant since it was past closing time. Misao looked at her watch to see "10:15" flashing up at her. She shrugged and slid into her seat once again before glancing around at the restaurant.

_I never knew Tae had such weird customers…some of these people are downright strange! There's that winking guy with long blond hair reminiscent to a broom, an extremely flat woman, really bony and short guy with spiky black hair, and rather large and muscled man with ash rubbed on his eyes…weird…_

_Like I'm one to talk!_

"Misao-san?"

Misao turned around to see Soujirou smiling at her cheerfully. "Stop being so formal and call me Misao. Did you enjoy your date with me tonight?"

"The best date I've had in a long time" answered Misao with a grin. "We better go now though, because my brother called telling me to reach home before midnight, which really means that I better get home some time soon!"

"What a protective brother!" said Soujirou with a grin as they headed towards the door.

"Aoshi-sama's always been protective, but he's one of my best friends as well!" replied Misao with a smile as she opened the door. "I guess this is where we part ways Sou-chan! Call me!"

"I wouldn't be a gentleman if I didn't walk you home" said Soujirou politely with a grin. "So until we reach your home, there is no need for goodbyes."

Misao grinned and leaned against Soujirou lightly as they headed for the Aoiya.

* * *

"We finally emptied the restaurant!" cried out Tae in relief as she turned off all the appliances.

"After Soujirou-san and Misao-san left, everyone else seemed to follow them out the door" replied Tsubame softly, stacking all the clean dishes and putting them away.

"Hey Tae, did your plan work out?"

Tae turned around to see a man standing in the doorway, his long brown hair tied back in a thin ponytail and his brown eyes full of mischief. Tae laughed, her own eyes gleaming with mischief very similar to his.

"If it rains in five minutes, it'll be perfect! I need to thank you Sen, you imitated Aoshi-san perfectly!" answered Tae. "Misao-chan didn't suspect a thing!"

"And you're in luck Tae" said Sen with a grin. He quickly shoved open the curtains to reveal thick clouds gathering in the air.

"It looks like it's going to rain any second!" whispered Tsubame.

"And when Soujirou-san and Misao-chan get caught in the rain, they'll have to take shelter somewhere…together in the rain…" said Tae devilishly, the gleam in her eyes growing brighter.

* * *

"About us?" asked Megumi softly. Sanosuke stopped the car and stuffed his hands in his pockets, looking down as he spoke.

"I haven't been entirely truthful about my past, but the thing was that I didn't really want to burden you with it" said Sanosuke quietly. "I've chased after you for years, and now that we're finally a couple, I don't want to say anything that will scare you away. I want to see you smile…"

"Sano no baka, it doesn't matter whether your past is sad or scary" answered Megumi. "I don't care a bit about your past, I just love you the way you are. No matter what happens, I will still love you, so don't be afraid to open up to me."

Sanosuke leaned over and kissed Megumi gently. Megumi yielded to the soft kiss and deepened it, creating an even more passionate kiss. They broke away reluctantly a minute later.

"Our relationship isn't only passion anymore" whispered Sanosuke gently. Megumi smiled softly.

"No…it's starting to become trust and faith as well…" replied Megumi before drawing Sanosuke into another kiss.

* * *

Lightening flashed, illuminating Enishi's shocked face as he stared at the woman in front of him in surprise.

"How did you know?" he managed to choke out after five minutes of silence. Miyana turned around to face Enishi, her eyes calm and cool.

"It is obvious to someone who has just met you and Kamiya-san" murmured Miyana softly. "You two have always shared a close relationship from what I heard over dinner, and because of that, the others are fairly clueless. But to the eyes of a newcomer, you stare at her slightly longingly, as if you wish to hold her, but are too afraid to. Tell me Enishi-san, what kind of fear is this?"

"Look, she never liked me that way!" yelled Enishi angrily. "She only had eyes for that bastard Himura! When he got married to my sister, she just stopped dating and forgot all about men! She hasn't been on a single lasting date since then! Do you think I can change that?"

"Did you even try?" asked Miyana sharply. Enishi promptly fell silent as Miyana's voice rang out in his ears. Thunder rumbled once again, and suddenly, without warning, sheets of rain came pouring down, crashing onto the lonely roads of Tokyo.

"Stupid rain!" muttered Enishi angrily, ducking underneath the roof of a nearby building for shelter. He looked to his side to make sure that Miyana was okay, but to his surprise, the girl was still out in the rain, thoroughly drenched to the core.

"Miyana! You're going to catch a cold!" yelled Enishi over the thunderous rain. Miyana slowly made her way to Enishi, but instead of seeking shelter under the roof, she took his hand in hers and pulled him out into the rain.

"What are you doing?" yelled Enishi, trying to make his voice heard over the rain. "Both of us are going to catch some really awful colds! Why are we just standing in the rain?"

"To wash away our troubles and fears" answered Miyana simply, ignoring Enishi's confusion as she continued to speak. "That is the purpose of rain – to wash away the negative feelings that emerge from our hearts so that we can be free again…"

_What kind of troubles and fears could this girl possibly have?_

"Our fears and troubles?" asked Enishi quietly, beginning to voice his thoughts. "So what are your fears and troubles?"

His eyes suddenly widened as Miyana turned her face to his. Her eyes suddenly burned with more emotion than he had ever seen before, eyes full of love, longing, pain, regret, agony, and sadness, all blending in, swirling through her quiet, sapphire-amethyst eyes. In an instant, she turned away.

"Here's my home" she whispered softly, pointing to an apartment complex that stood in front of them. Enishi nodded silently.

"I suppose I should say good-bye now, huh?" said Enishi with a smile. He began to walk away when he suddenly heard her voice ring out through the air again.

"Enishi-san!"

He simply turned his head to look back at her.

"Enishi-san, you should at least try" said Miyana quietly. "It has been two years since Kamiya-san's heartbreak, and she's at least had some time to cope with it. If you try, you might have a chance at capturing Kamiya-san's heart, but if you never try, then you will regret it your whole life. It may go well, it may go horribly, but at least you would have tried, so there would be no need for regrets. So promise me that you'll try…alright?"

"Alright" replied Enishi with a grin. "I guess it's like that saying 'It's better to have loved and lost then to have never loved at all', huh?"

"Sometimes…only sometimes...Good night Enishi-san" replied Miyana, walking away from a confused Enishi.

_Sometimes…only sometimes…Does that mean that Miyana once loved somebody and she wishes that she never loved them at all?_

Enishi shrugged and made a beeline for the nearest store, frantically searching for an umbrella.

* * *

"EEK!" shouted Misao in shock as a sudden sheet of rain drenched Soujirou and her during their romantic walk back to the Aoiya. "Why did have to rain now, of all times?"

Soujirou shrugged, his traditional smile still on his face. "Perhaps we can go to a nearby store to buy some umbrellas" he suggested.

"Let's do that Sou-chan!" replied Misao. "Come, let us go to the invisible store in the thicket that surrounds us! Of course there's a store in the middle of a bunch of trees!"

"Don't forget that it was your idea to take the shortcut home" said Soujirou with a grin, teasing Misao, causing her to turn slightly red with embarrassment.

"I wanted this night to end romantically, was that too much too ask for?" asked Misao. "Right now though, I want to get out of the rain, because I don't want to spend another paycheck on clothes!"

"I think I see something in the distance" said Soujirou suddenly. "Maybe we can take shelter over there!"

He grabbed Misao's hand and ran towards the structure he had seen in the distance. As they ran, Misao began to realize that the outline reminded her of –

"A gazebo!" yelled Soujirou with relief. "Come on Misao-san, hurry!"

"Misao, Sou-chan! Forget the honorifics!" yelled Misao angrily as she gratefully ran under the gazebo's roof before whipping off her coat and trying to drain it of all its water.

"The rain looks gorgeous" murmured Misao as she set her coat to dry on the rail, leaning against the rail as she stared out at the sky. Soujirou smiled and leaned next to her.

"It really is pretty" replied Soujirou. "I don't like the fact that I'm wet, but other than that…"

"I remember that when I was just a girl" said Misao animatedly. "Omasu and Okon would tell me this beautiful story about a princess who was trying to go to a ball. She wore a stunning dress, sparkling jewelry, and pretty shoes and a tiara. On the way to the ball, her carriage broke down, but she decided to just go by foot. However, a violent rain arrived, and she was forced to take shelter in the forests nearby the castle. She lost her way in the forests, and she managed to reach a gazebo in the forest, but she was all alone. She kneeled down and began to cry, saddened by the fact that she couldn't see her prince. Suddenly, she heard the beautiful, lilting music of a waltz and she turned around to see her prince, standing behind her, waiting for a dance, and in the rain, they danced the night away…isn't that a cute story Sou-chan?"

There was no answer. Misao turned to her side to see Soujirou missing. Suddenly, she heard someone whistling the tune of a waltz, and she whirled around to see Soujirou standing there, whistling innocently. He suddenly stopped whistling, walked up towards her, and held out his hand.

"My fair lady, may I have this dance?" asked Soujirou with a grin. Misao smiled excitedly.

"Yes, good sir, you may" she answered, placing her hand in his before being swept off her feet. She laughed happily as Soujirou twirled her around, whistling the lilting waltz, making her feel giddy, but at the same time, making her feel like she was a princess in a fairy tale.

"Sou-chan, I have to say, you are making this date the most romantic date in my life!" said Misao with a grin. Soujirou grinned back.

"There's only one thing missing Misao" said Soujirou quietly.

"And what is that?" asked Misao curiously. Soujirou smiled softly as he drew her towards him and kissed her passionately, only to have her return his kiss with equal passion.

_Oh kami! I think I'm in love! Wait till I tell Kaoru, Megumi, and the others!

* * *

_

"Do you think it was a good idea, leaving Kaoru with Aoshi?" asked Okita with a laugh as he and Kaya sat in the car. Kaya giggled softly.

"I've never seen Aoshi-san so incensed, and at that moment, I felt like there could really be something between Aoshi-san and Kaoru. So of course I waited for an opportunity to leave them alone together!" answered Kaya. "There is that saying 'Opposites attract', and for some reason, I just really feel that Kaoru might be able to open up Aoshi-san a bit."

"Don't you think there's the chance that Kaoru and Aoshi just hate each other so much that they won't be able to bear each other's presence?" asked Okita curiously. "There is the possibility…I've never seen Kaoru that incensed either, and she has Sanosuke as a friend!"

"But doesn't hate seem too strong for Kaoru?" mused Kaya. "I know I just met her, but I think that hate is not her strongest emotion. She seemed more upset that Aoshi-san believed love was a betrayal of sorts. And I know Aoshi-san is just stubborn about his opinions. His past has brought him to believe that love does not exist, and he needs someone to prove to him that it is indeed existent."

"So neither Aoshi nor Kaoru hate each other, huh?" muttered Okita. "Then you might just have fun playing matchmaker Kaya!"

Kaya giggled and stretched out in her seat. "It's so wonderful to be back in Tokyo! I missed you so much Soushi!"

"I know the feeling" replied Okita with a grin, digging into his pockets "I felt like these were the longest four years I had ever experienced! I'm thrilled that you're back! Now, I do have an important question for you!"

"And what is that Soushi?" asked Kaya with a smile.

"Will you marry me?"

Kaya suddenly fell silent, tears gathering in her eyes as she stared at Okita's open palm, a ring peeking out from the velvet box. She looked up at Okita and was about to answer when he placed a finger to his mouth.

"Before you answer, let me make something clear" he whispered, his voice deep and serious. "I am asking you to marry me, but I don't expect to have a wedding soon. Kaya, I know your dream is to study in America one day, and I won't pressure you to marry me until your dream is fulfilled, and your education is complete. I just couldn't wait to ask you any longer, but I can wait for a wedding."

A soft smile appeared on Kaya's face as Okita smiled gently.

"I will Okita" whispered Kaya softly. "I will marry you. But let make one thing clear."

"Yes?" asked Okita curiously.

"It is my dream to study in America and complete my education, but ever since I met you five years ago…my greatest dream…was to fall in love with you and live a happy wedded life with you…" whispered Kaya, tears slipping down her cheeks as she smiled softly. Okita carefully drew her in and kissed her gently as the rain fell around the car.

* * *

"Okita and Kaya should be long gone by now, right?"

Aoshi looked up upon hearing Kaoru's voice after ten minutes of silence. He simply nodded.

_So I won't be ruining Okita and Kaya's alone time! I can leave Shinomori-san now!_

"Alright then! Time for me to leave" replied Kaoru excitedly, thrilled to be leaving Aoshi, who had not been a pleasure to meet. "Great to meet you Shinomori-san, and goodbye!" She bounded out of the living room, happy that summer days meant no coats, and yanked open the front door to see a torrent of rain falling from the skies.

_Summer days my foot! It's practically a sea out there! How on earth am I supposed the walk home without getting wet and catching a cold?_

She was suddenly hit by a big wad of cloth and she turned around to see a jacket balled up next to her feet. She looked up to see Aoshi pulling on his trenchcoat and motioning for her to follow him. She pulled on the jacket and followed only to be met by a Mercedes sitting in the garage of the Aoiya.

Aoshi pulled open a door and waited for Kaoru to enter the car.

_I really, really, really, really, REALLY, don't want to spend more time with Shinomori-san if I can help it…maybe I can just politely refuse…_

"Thanks Shinomori-san, but you know what? I'd actually love to walk home and enjoy the more scenic route. I'm sorry, but thank you for the offer!" replied Kaoru, immediately turning around and heading for the door. She suddenly felt an arm slip around her shoulder and knees before being scooped off the floor.

"Shinomori Aoshi, put me down!" yelled Kaoru angrily, trying to push away from him. He didn't answer and instead just dumped her into her car seat before locking the door. She scowled as he entered the driver's seat and backed out of the garage.

"If you don't give me directions, I can't take you home" said Aoshi calmly.

"You could let me off here, and I'll be able to find my way home" answered Kaoru quietly, not happy about being forced into the car like that.

"Just give them" muttered Aoshi.

"Do you know where Hanada Apartment Complex is?" asked Kaoru. Aoshi answered her question with a nod. "That's where I live."

A few more minutes passed as Kaoru and Aoshi sat in the car silently. Finally, Kaoru sighed exasperatedly and flipped the switch on the radio, beginning to sing as one of her favorite songs came on the radio.

"Ashidori mo karukushite chao chao

Torumono mo toriaezu chao chao

Raion ga unaru mitai no raimei ga

Taisan wo unagashite iru

Dou naru no?

Sou...mou sugu ame

Dai kirai ame nanka chao chao

Mou sukoshi itai noni

Kaikan ga kaisan ni kawaru shunkan wo

Raion ga isogaseta no wa

Meihaku No! Meiwaku

It's gonna rain!"

Aoshi stared at the softly singing girl sitting next to him.

_That voice…there's something deep hidden in that beautiful voice of hers…_

"It's not going to rain, it's raining" Aoshi said quietly, mocking Kaoru's singing.

"Can't you just enjoy the song?" asked Kaoru with a scowl.

"Thankfully it's not one of those love songs" muttered Aoshi.

"What is with you and love?" asked Kaoru angrily. "Why do you hate the concept of love so much?"

"Those who live a sheltered life learn of the harshness of love later than those people who suffer at an earlier stage" answered Aoshi coldly.

"Don't assume I had a perfect life Shinomori-san" retorted Kaoru quietly. "You don't know a thing about me."

They both lapsed into silence until Aoshi stopped the car abruptly.

"We're here" he said, parking the car neatly.

"Obaasan!" cried out Kaoru suddenly, rushing out of the car and making a beeline for the old woman who sat on the steps of her apartment building. Aoshi sighed exasperatedly and locked the car as he stepped out onto the puddle-ridden pavement and made his way towards Kaoru and the old woman.

"Who's this young man?" asked the woman hoarsely, clutching to Kaoru almost fearfully.

"Obaasan, this is Shinomori Aoshi, a…acquaintance of mine. Shinomori-san, this is Takamari Yui-san, a good friend of mine" Kaoru said quickly, introducing them to each other as speedily as she could. "Obaasan, why are you sitting on the doorsteps?"

"The children thought it would be funny if they locked me out of the apartment building, and I unfortunately have no key, and it was so late at night that I didn't feel like waking anyone up" replied Yui dejectedly.

"Obaasan, I have a key, I'll let you in" said Kaoru cheerfully, whipping out her key and unlocking the door with a flourish.

"Thank you Kao-chan, you're such a sweet young girl" said Yui gratefully. "As a thank you, why don't both of you come to my apartment? I'll tell your fortunes for free!"

Before Aoshi could politely refuse, Kaoru immediately grabbed his hand. "Sure!" she accepted cheerfully. "We'll have our fortunes told!"

If glares could kill, Kaoru would've been dead by then. But since glares cannot kill, Aoshi and Kaoru followed Yui to her apartment, curious about what she would be able to see in their futures.

* * *

**The big night's not over yet! Next chapter - Misao meets her inquisitoral squad, consisting of Okon, Omasu, and Okina, Okita meets Kaya's family for the first time, Sanosuke reveals his past to Megumi, Aoshi and Kaoru get their fortunes told, and Enishi reaches his home only to discover that his housekey was attached to his car keys, so he makes a u-turn and goes to the one place where he knows someone actually is...**

**Please review! Ja ne till next time!**


	11. An Eventful Night Part II

**Disclaimer – I'm honored to be seen as the author of Rurouni Kenshin!  
****Rurouni Kenshin cast – You don't own us!  
****Hitoezakura – Yes I do! See the contract? (pulls up a contract and shows it to everybody)  
****A gunshot rings out, and suddenly, the contract is decimated. All heads turn to see a sheepish Alucard. ****Alucard – I was having a target practice!  
****Hitoezakura – I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!  
****Alucard – But I'm already dead! **

**Hitoezakura – I don't own Rurouni Kenshin, that's property of Watsuki, and the only reason Alucard from Hellsing keeps showing up is because I'm trying to remind myself that I'm supposed to draw a few more pictures of him…(I adore sketching and drawing anime, but I barely get the time for it…weeps) **

**Ok, my reviewers are starting to make me feel incredibly guilty, because at the end of each review, they ask me to update soon…and I don't ever get the time to! I feel so guilty! **

**Another thing…I was looking at my stats for fun (I've received over 2000 hits for this story, but I have only 45 reviews…hmmmmm), and to my surprise, on my favorites and alerts list, I found the names of people who I'm confident have not reviewed. I would love to hear from you, so please, please, please review! (also, some of my old reviewers have not been reviewing…where are you?) **

**On a happier note, my editor has finally agreed to read this fanfiction (after much begging), and she seems to be enjoying it! My editor, by the way, is not a fanfiction writer, she's just my friend since childhood, and she likes romance, so I usually send her all my stories! However, she usually doesn't read them quickly because she has a full schedule, so right now, she has a lot stacked up…including all my original fanfics! **

**Reviewer Responses! **

**flaming-amber – Your review made me laugh. I'm not angry at you at all, and if fact, when I finally wrote about that little aoshikaoru moment, I was thinking, "I finally wrote it! I can finally dig deeper into the story!" As for the love triangle, well…keep reading and you'll find out! Thanks for the review, and please keep reviewing! **

**Crewel – Don't worry, there's about a whole page or two dedicated to Sanosuke and Megumi in this chapter. I'm glad you love the Sano Megumi moments I've created, because I wasn't sure if I was getting it right! Thanks for the review, and I hope you keep reviewing! **

**blooded wyngs – I'm glad this Kenji issue isn't disturbing you too much (once again, I'm sorry!)…Yes I do feel sorry for Enishi, but with Miyana on his side, I think he'll be trying once again to go after Kaoru. About Kenshin and Kaoru – I will mention how they met and what not, because they really do have a special relationship (not love on Kenshin's part, but a very deep friendship). I just haven't reached that point yet, but it'll come up! I'm thrilled that you like Miyana! She's my special original character, and she actually does star in an eight-part-series I wrote! (As for Yumi and Shishio…well, I liked Yumi when she was arguing with Sano, and I liked Shishio's humor, so in a way, I like them too!). Thanks for reviewing! **

**xiao – New reviewer! Yay! You hate suspense? Boy, will you end up hating me! I usually do cut off my chapters at the wonderful suspenseful points because I don't have that much time to write (although I try to update at least once a week). I'm so glad you love this story, and I hope you keep reviewing! **

**Bradybunch4529 – Your reviews always make me feel so thrilled! I'm glad you liked the light Aoshi Kaoru moment, and I'm hoping the clash will be equally as funny. Thanks for reviewing! **

**Wolf Jade – Another new reviewer! Yay again! Enishi and Miyana a couple? Keep on reading and you'll find out! As for whether Miyana is hiding…well, in this chapter, if you read very deeply into it, you could actually figure it out (of course, it's really cryptic in this chapter). However, in the future, it will be explained! Yes, Saitou is quite harsh towards her, isn't he! Thanks for reviewing, and I hope to hear more from you! **

**Alright, I really, really, really, want to write about their new mission next chapter, so I decided to wrap up the eventful night. This chapter hit thirteen pages, which means my editor is going to wail in agony (she should, she gets an extra two weeks of summer…). I hope you enjoy this one too! Lots of fluff and issues of the past! And for all of you who are so praying for an ak moment, you finally got one…although I hope you weren't expecting romance in their current hate-hate relationship… **

**I'll shut up now! **

**

* * *

**

HOW IS THIS LOVE?

Enishi shut his umbrella before unlocking the apartment building door, eager to flop onto his bed and ponder over Miyana's words. He looked longingly at the elevator.

_It seems so tempting…but there's a storm, and with my luck, I'll be stuck in the elevator if there's a power outage…_

With a groan, he trudged up the stairs and fished through his pockets, searching for his apartment key. Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks and punched the wall hard, not caring about the huge hole he had just made.

_I'm going to kill that bastard Sanosuke when I get my hands on him…stupid idiot has my car keys and my house keys! He's going to be a dead man!_

With a sigh, Enishi turned around and made his way downstairs before opening his umbrella again.

_Oh well, I suppose this works out for the best…at least I'll find out what Miyana meant…_

Enishi stepped outside into the storm once again, walking down the streets toward his destination.

* * *

"Why did you rope me into this?" asked Aoshi quietly, as he stared at Yui's apartment, slightly disturbed by his surroundings. 

"Obaasan would like to thank us, and it would be rude to not accept her thanks!" answered Kaoru in a whisper, smiling at Yui before examining her surroundings, just as disturbed as Aoshi.

The apartment was dark and musty, and it appeared as if the woman had lived in the apartment for seventy years and had never once bothered to wipe the dust off her furniture and appliances. Incense and candles burned on every surface, and to make it worse, paper lanterns hung from the ceiling.

_Not only does this woman not realize she has dust everywhere, she's also going to burn down her apartment someday! If I die here due to a fire, Kamiya's going to have a lot of explaining to do!_

"I'm sorry, my apartment's a little messy," replied Yui with a small grin.

_Little! This place is like a trashcan, a garbage jungle, a…a…_

Kaoru stepped on Aoshi's foot hurriedly before he could actually voice his thoughts, causing him to scowl at the young woman next to him. She scowled back, but the moment Yui turned around she was all smiles again.

"Obaasan, if it's too much trouble, Shinomori-san and I can leave" said Kaoru gently, trying to say she wanted to leave in the politest way she could.

_Please, say yes!_

Unfortunately, Aoshi's pleas went unanswered as Yui waved her hand with a grin. "It's no trouble at all!" she replied with a grin. "See? Here's my fortune telling table!"

Aoshi simply stared. The dust and candles seem to have multiplied as they reached the table, and to his dismay, cobwebs adorned every corner of the table.

"Just out of curiosity, how many customers come by here everyday?" asked Aoshi quietly.

"Not that many, in all actuality" replied Yui, confusion etched on her face. "I actually love to tell children their fortunes, but I not may children come by here. I wonder why…"  
_Maybe it's because this place is practically a haunted house!_

Yui motioned for them to sit down on two extremely dusty chairs. Aoshi groaned internally; this meant that he would have to shove his monstrous trench coat in a washing machine once again. However, he and Kaoru politely sat down without a single complaint.

"Alright children" whispered Yui mysteriously, not realizing how Aoshi bristled upon being called a child. "Please place out your hands in front of me."

Aoshi reluctantly pulled his hand out in front of him. He had never been one for fortunes and fate; he had always felt that a man could carve out his own life. However, he was always surrounded by people who seemed to think that fortune-tellers often spoke the truth, so he usually kept his opinions to himself.

_And this is how every fortuneteller makes money – charge a few thousand yen for a simple fortune and people flock towards them as if they are Gods. All these fortunetellers are doing are making random guesses; doesn't anyone but me realize that?_

"Is there anything between you two?" asked Yui softly, staring at the hands in front of her, very intrigued.

"You have got to be kidding" muttered Aoshi in disbelief. "Kamiya and I?"

"Obaasan, I assure you with the utmost confidence, that there is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING between Shinomori-san and I!" exclaimed Kaoru, shooting a glare at Aoshi.

"Place your hands side by side" said Yui calmly, removing a single strand of beads from her neck.

"What?" asked Kaoru and Aoshi in unison.

"Place your hands side by side" Yui repeated, stretching the strand of beads to its full length. Kaoru and Aoshi reluctantly placed their hands side by side, and Yui quickly wrapped the beads around their wrists to keep the hands in place.

"What is going on?" asked Aoshi in measured voice.

"I just need to see something" replied Yui with a smile as she carefully traced the lines along their palms.

"Well, couldn't you see it without binding our wrists together?" pleaded Kaoru, not happy with this arrangement. Yui did not answer, just continued to trace the lines on their palms. She suddenly gasped, and a smile spread across her face as she unwound the beads gently.

"I have seen into your future" whispered Yui with a grin. "Both of you shall become extremely happy in the future, but you will not find your happiness alone, you shall find it in each other. You two suffering souls shall finally find your happiness when you open up to each other and fall in love."

Kaoru and Aoshi both glanced at Yui, then at each other, and suddenly broke out into hysterical and unstoppable laughter.

* * *

Misao crept inside the Aoiya as she glanced at her wristwatch. It read twelve forty-five. Misao grimaced and quickly made sure that there was no evidence of her and Soujirou running around in the rain, She smoothed out her clothes to make sure that she didn't look like she was dancing, and she tried to make it look as though she hadn't received that dazzling kiss from Soujirou. 

_Aoshi-sama said to be back by midnight…but then wouldn't he be waiting for me by the door by now? It's a quarter to one, I would've figured that he'd still be awake, waiting to scold me for being so irresponsible…_

"SHE'S HERE!"

Misao shut her eyes to escape the glare of the lights as they were suddenly turned on, and felt herself being tugged to the ground. She opened her eyes to see Okina, Okon, and Omasu waiting for her to speak expectantly.

"What are you guys doing?" asked Misao.

"We're waiting for you to tell us about your date!" exclaimed Okon with a grin. "You've been gone for so long, there have to be some details!"

"Come on Misao, you can't hide secrets from us!" said Omasu with a smile.

"We're the Oniwaban Inquisitorial Group!" yelled Okina joyfully. "You have to answer to us!"

Misao laughed upon hearing the name 'Oniwaban'. She had called her little family the Oniwabanshuu when she was a little girl, and for some reason, the name had stuck for all those years.

"No way Gramps!" said Misao with a grin. "I'm definitely not telling you guys about my date until I talk to Kaoru, Megumi, and Kaya!"

"Misao!" wailed Omasu and Okon disappointedly. "You have to tell us what happened! You can't keep it all to yourself!"

"If Misao doesn't want to answer, then she doesn't have to" said Okina calmly. "Her not answering is just proof that nothing happened, and that she managed to scare yet another boy away from her!"

"THAT'S NOT TRUE!" yelled Misao angrily. "Sou-kun and I had a wonderful dinner, danced around in the rain, and shared a steamy kiss!"

Misao suddenly clapped her hands to her mouth as Okina cheered.

"See, I knew that would get the truth out of her!" yelled Okina victoriously. Misao's eyes narrowed in anger as she quickly pulled out her kunai.

"YOU'RE GONNA GET IT GRAMPS!" yelled Misao angrily, chasing Okina around the room with the sharp kunai as he desperately dodged each one. Omasu and Okon simply stared at the two of them as they sweat dropped.

"Doesn't it seem like every situation ends with Misao chasing Okina with kunai?" asked Omasu with a small smile.

"Some things never change" replied Okon with a grin. "Which one are you rooting for?"

"I'll never root for a womanizing and perverted old man!" exclaimed Omasu with a scowl. "Go Misao!"

* * *

"Kaya, do I really need to meet your family today?" asked Okita, slightly nervous, although the smile never really left his face. "It would be nice if I could meet them in the morning or afternoon, but I really don't think that I should interrupt their sleep when it's only one o'clock!" 

"Soushi, don't worry!" replied Kaya with a laugh. "Obaasan is nocturnal during the summers, and because of that, Aika's become nocturnal too! I shudder to think about what might happen when school starts!"

"I thought I heard your laughter Kaya-kun."

Both Okita and Kaya whirled around to see Kaya's grandmother, Hitomi Ryoko, standing behind them, the door wide open behind the women's smiling face. Kaya's eyes filled with tears as she hugged her Ryoko tightly.

"I missed you Obaasan! I'm so happy to see you again!" whispered Kaya softly, causing Ryoko to chuckle ever so slightly. She carefully eased Kaya off her shoulders and then turned to look at Okita. After scanning him completely, she turned to Kaya again.

"And who's this young man?" asked Ryoko with a smile. "No doubt that he's Okita Soushi, the boy you kept talking about before you left for your film!"

"This is Okita Soushi, my former boyfriend…and now…" Kaya could not say the words, so she silently lifted her hand for her grandmother to inspect.

"Oh sweetheart, you got engaged!" shrieked Ryoko happily, hugging Kaya once again. "Oh, Aika-kun would love to see you again, and she'll be so happy for you when she sees that you're engaged. Both of you, come in, why are we all standing on the doorsteps?" Ryoko rushed both of them in and suddenly, Okita heard a shriek as a miniature Kaya appeared in doorway and hurtled herself at the actual Kaya.

"Oneesan!" shrieked the miniature Kaya with a grin.

"Aika!" exclaimed Kaya with a laugh. "You've grown so much! I can't believe you're eight now!"

Aika flashed a huge smile and then hugged Kaya tightly again. "I'm glad you're back Oneesan" she whispered softly. Kaya smiled softly and stroked Aika's hair gently.

"I'm glad I'm back too…" whispered Kaya. Aika's eyes suddenly widened, and she yanked Kaya's hand in front of her eyes, her gaze locking upon the diamond ring Okita had proposed with earlier. Aika glanced at Kaya, then Okita, and then Kaya again before she began to shriek.

"He proposed?" she asked excitedly. Kaya nodded, and suddenly, both sisters were locked in an embrace, while Okita simply began to count how many times they had embraced in five minutes.

"Just so you know" said Ryoko in a low whisper. "They hug each other a lot. It really starts to make you feel left out, doesn't it?"

Okita simply smiled as he stared at Kaya and Aika's cheerful faces.

_Kaya…your smile…that's enough to make my day…

* * *

_

"So, how did you and Miyana first meet?"

Sanosuke grunted in thought for a moment while Megumi patiently waited for his answer. He and Megumi had parked the car in a parking lot next to the forest and had climbed into the back of the car. They had folded the backseat down, covered the whole trunk area and backseat with a thick blanket, and then lay on blanket, staring up at the roof of the car.

"Captain Sagara, the leader of the Sekihotai Agency, had a habit of picking up homeless children on his mission. Before Miyana came, he had found three children and had trained them for the agency – Nagasaki Kayo, Tsukioka Katsuhiro, and I."

"How had you ended up homeless?" whispered Megumi softly. Sanosuke's eyes suddenly shined with tears, but he didn't shed even one.

"When I was young, about nine" said Sanosuke thickly. "My parents sent me out to gather firewood. We lived in a village, and that year, it was extremely chilly in the summer. I left, was gone for the whole day, and when I returned…the whole village had been burned to crisp. There was no sign of anyone alive…all I stumbled upon were the charred bodies I could not recognize…"

Megumi's eyes widened in shock. "How did that happen?" whispered Megumi.

"A man named Makoto Shishio burned down the village when the villagers protested against his rule" growled Sanosuke. "That was why when Captain Sagara found me wandering in the forests a few weeks later, I begged him to train me so that I could become an agent in the Sekihotai Agency. So that I could avenge my parents…

Anyways, when he took me to the Sekihotai Agency, I met the other two children he had saved – Nagasaki Kayo and Tsukioka Katsuhiro. I became good friends with Katsu, but I never really spoke to Kayo that much. He seemed to be an introvert, and Katsu and I were just really loud."

Megumi laughed softly. "So when did you end up meeting Miyana?" she asked curiously.

"I was thirteen when Captain Sagara informed us that a girl was arriving at the Sekihotai. Katsu and I were curious about her, while Kayo was just indifferent. Captain said that her name was Miyana, although we had no clue about her last name, so we gave her the last name Sagara, just like mine, because I too, had no last name. My parents were poor farmers and didn't have a last name. Anyways, he told us that she had lived with his good friend Hiko Seijuurou for almost five years, and was well trained in swordsmanship. She was ten years old when she arrived, and as soon as she stepped into the building, the whole atmosphere changed."

"For the better, or for the worse?" asked Megumi with a smile.

"For the better. Miyana was a cheerful girl, and managed to make everyone around her smile, even the withdrawn Nagasaki Kayo. She was the first girl I was close too, and when I turned eighteen, I bought her an expensive bracelet with my first paycheck…but the next year…Captain was murdered, and the whole agency fell apart. Kayo, Katsu, and I fled the agency so that we didn't have to see its downfall, but I had no clue that Miyana would try her best to keep the agency together…"

"So that's how you ended up meeting Miyana…" whispered Megumi softly. " And she was that cheerful? What happened to her?"

"I don't know!" muttered Sanosuke in frustration. "I really wish that she'd tell me, but I know she won't! In the past, she was always smiling, always singing, always dancing around, but now…she's just so quiet and unsmiling that it just makes me want to yell…"  
Megumi kissed Sanosuke gently on the cheek. "Someday Sanosuke, she will reveal the truth to you…I have no doubt about that…"

"In the mean time, why don't you tell me the truth about yourself?" asked Sanosuke. "I revealed my whole past to you, so why don't you reveal your whole past to me?"

Megumi curled up next to Sanosuke and kissed him softly on the lips. "Alright then. I was with my parents until I turned eight. Then…" A tear streamed down Megumi's cheek before she began to speak again. "Then, a fire broke out in our house…my parents were upstairs, I was downstairs, and I hid in the kitchen cupboard to get away from the fire…When the fire department came, they found me, and then told me that my parents were dead.

I would've been completely lost had it not been for Sakura-obasan. She was Kaoru's aunt, and she took me in, despite the fact that she had two one-year-olds and Kaoru to take care of. She raised us until we were sixteen, and then she died of food poisoning. Dr. Gensai immediately offered to take care of us, and Kaoru worked while I worked as an apprentice for Dr. Gensai. When we were eighteen, we paid Dr. Gensai for all our troubles so that he could help his granddaughters, and then we moved out to an apartment in his building. And then we met you…"

Both Megumi and Sanosuke sat in the car, letting silence cloak them for several minutes, but it was a comfortable silence. Finally, Sanosuke quickly sat up and pulled Megumi towards him, kissing her gently.

"Have we grown closer?" asked Sanosuke with a cheeky grin.

"I think we have" whispered Megumi, returning his kiss passionately. He wrapped his arms around her waist and carefully lowered her onto the car seat as they kissed, unaware that the rain outside had stopped a long time ago.

* * *

Miyana dug around her cupboard for some hot chocolate when someone suddenly knocked on her door. She shut the cupboard, slightly annoyed that she hadn't yet managed to find the hot chocolate, and opened her apartment door, only to narrow her eyes and shut it once again. 

The person outside carefully opened the door and took a seat at one of her couches. "You need to learn some manners" he replied coolly. He reached into his pocket, withdrew a cigarette, and immediately started to smoke.

Miyana deftly pulled the cigarette out of his hand and threw it in the trashcan. "No smoking in this apartment, and why are you here Saitou-san? If it is to tell me once again that I'm a murderer, I can assure you that I will remember it."

"It was not my choice to allow you into the Hiten Agency. My wife and comrades have no clue who they are allowing to join. I came here to warn you" replied Saitou evenly.

"Warn me about what?" asked Miyana quietly.

"If any harm comes to any person of the Hiten Agency, and if you are responsible for that harm, then I will kill you" said Saitou, his voice harsh and cold against the silence. Miyana didn't answer, she just simply turned away and rummaged for the hot chocolate again.

"Remember that" said Saitou quietly, before rising to his feet and letting himself out the door. She locked the door behind him, and then gave it a hard punch, shattering one of the stars on her bracelet, one with a letter 'K'. She kneeled down to pick it up, and threw it in the trash before collapsing onto one of her couches.

_Why did I fall in love with you? You made my life miserable! You shamed me in front of the whole Agency and the whole police station! And now, the one time I can start my life over again, I end up working with a police officer who is sure that I'm not innocent because of your tactics!_

_Then why can't I forget you and everything you've done to me?

* * *

_

Enishi walked up the stairs before reaching the apartment number that he had read off the mailbox. He knocked on it gently, hoping that he wasn't waking her up.

The door opened to reveal a surprised Miyana.

"Enishi-san?" she whispered. "What are you doing here?"  
"Rooster-head has my keys, so I can't get into my apartment, and I think no one else has reached their homes yet, so is it alright for me to stay here for a few hours? Then I can go over to Kaoru's and get my spare key from her" said Enishi sheepishly.

"Come in" said Miyana softly, motioning for him to come in. Enishi took one step inside and his nose crinkled in distaste.

"Why does it smell of smoke?" he asked, slightly confused. Miyana simply shook her head.

"Don't ask" she answered, pulling out a can of air freshener and spraying the room with a sweet scent that Enishi recognized as cinnamon. He shrugged off his coat and sat down on one of the couches as Miyana made some hot chocolate (after finding out that it had somehow made its way to the bathroom, in the drawer where she kept her comb). She poured it into two cups, offered one to Enishi, who accepted it gratefully after his crusade in the rain, and then sat down in front of him quietly.

"I meant to ask you something" said Enishi, breaking the silence as he silently hoped that she would not take his words in the wrong way.

"Go ahead" said Miyana softly.

"When I asked you whether it was better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all, you answered 'sometimes, only sometimes'. Was there a specific reason for that answer, or…" Enishi trailed off, but he knew that she understood the meaning behind his words.

Miyana set down her cup quietly and sighed softly.

"I'm not ready to talk about that, and I probably never will be Enishi-san. I'm sorry, but that is one question I will never be able to answer" whispered Miyana, her eyes looking downcast.

"Okay, so let's skip that!" said Enishi hurriedly, plastering a wide grin on his face. "I have another question. Why are there letters hanging from your bracelet?"

To his surprise, Miyana almost smiled.

"Sanosuke gave me this bracelet as a present when I was fifteen" said Miyana softly. "The letters represent the people I love…"

"Oh! ' M' stands for Miyana, but what do the others stand for?" asked Enishi curiously.

"One 'S' stands for Sanosuke, while the other stands for Souzou Sagara, my captain. The 'K' stands for Katsu, and the 'H' stands for Shishou!" said Miyana.

"What's your Shishou's name?" asked Enishi.

"Hiko Seijuurou" replied Miyana. "I learned swordsmanship from him when I was five, and when I was ten, he sent me to Sagara-san to train as a secret agent."

"So he did have a second pupil" murmured Enishi. "I always thought he was making it up so that Himura wouldn't seem like a complete failure."

"You really hate Himura-san so much because he stole Kamiya-san and your sister from you?" asked Miyana softly.

"I loved my sister; she was like a mother to me. I didn't like the fact that she was marrying a murder, but what really enraged me was the fact that he enraptured Kaoru. It almost seemed like he was stealing her away from me just to make me miserable…" Enishi trailed off, his fists clenched in anger.

"You know the truth behind this Enishi-san" said Miyana pointedly. Enishi gave a sigh.

"I know, I know, it's not his fault. But I lost Kaoru ever since he met her, and it just seems like it's easier to blame it all on him" said Enishi, draining the last of his hot chocolate and setting the cup down.

"That's not good" whispered Miyana.

"What, gulping down hot chocolate?" asked Enishi confusedly. "You're damn right it's not good, I think I burned my throat, and I'm certain I burnt my tongue!"

"I didn't mean that" said Miyana quickly. "It's not right to blame Himura-san for everything you know. Yes, his personality attracted Kaoru and pulled her away from dating you, but don't you realize that it has been two years now, and perhaps now if you asked, she wouldn't mind dating you?"

Enishi fell silent as the clock ticked away in the silence.

* * *

Aoshi touched his head gingerly, confident that there was going to be large lump there tomorrow. Kaoru too, was gently massaging the back of her head. 

"I am never listening to you again Kamiya" muttered Aoshi angrily, following Kaoru to her apartment.

"It's not my fault! I had no clue she'd react that way!" insisted Kaoru, climbing up the stairs away from Yui's apartment. "I never thought Obaasan could be so scary…"

**_"You two suffering souls shall finally find your happiness when you open up to each other and fall in love."_**

_**Kaoru and Aoshi both glanced at Yui, then at each other, and suddenly broke out into hysterical and unstoppable laughter.**_

_**"You have got to be kidding me!" exclaimed Kaoru through her fit of laughter.**_

_**"Me? Love Kamiya? That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard of!" agreed Aoshi. "Anyways, I'm never going to fall in love, since love is just another form of betrayal coated in honey…"**_

_**"I'm telling you, you two are going to fall in love!" said Yui, smiling mysteriously.**_

_**Her prediction was greeted with even more laughter, and finally Yui just lost her temper.**_

_**"THAT'S IT!" she yelled, rising to her feet and grabbing the crystal balls from under her table. "GET OUT IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BELIEVE ME!"**_

_**She heaved the crystal balls toward Aoshi and Kaoru, who promptly stopped laughing and raced towards the door, frantically dodging the crystal balls at the same time.**_

"It just goes to show you that women, even old women, can be extremely heartless and scary" commented Aoshi, earning himself another glare from Kaoru, who had stopped in front of her apartment door.

"Well, thanks for helping me with Obaasan" said Kaoru quietly. Aoshi nodded and turned around, when suddenly, Kaoru's face lit up with a slightly mischievous smile.

"Actually, Shinomori-san, I would like to thank you for your help by making you a cup of tea. Why don't you come inside?" she asked, feigning innocence as she smiled sweetly.

Aoshi looked at her with a wary glance.

_She's never smiled at me that way before…she usually just glares at me…_

p>She unlocked the door and suddenly dropped her keys.

"I hate being clumsy!" muttered Kaoru, dropping to her knees to search for the keys. "Shinomori-san, why don't you go inside and make yourself comfortable?"

Aoshi simply nodded and opened the door.

SPLASH!

Kaoru shot up to see Aoshi drenched with water and laughingly pulled off the bucket from the floor.

"Kamiya…" growled Aoshi angrily. " This is your doing, isn't it?"

"As much as I'd like to take credit for it, it wasn't my doing" said Kaoru with a laugh. "Yahiko-chan, you got the wrong person!"

"Oh shit! Megumi, I'm so sorry!" yelled Yahiko from the room, rushing out to apologize. His eyes widened as he saw a not-so-happy Aoshi glaring daggers at him.

"Oh shit…" repeated Yahiko. Kaoru laughed before introducing them to each other.

"Yahiko, this is Shinomori Aoshi, a comrade of mine. Shinomori-san, this is my little brother Yahiko."

* * *

Misao collapsed onto her bed, a big smile on her face as she crawled underneath her covers and frantically searched under her pillows. She let out a triumphant chirp as she retrieved her diary, flashlight, and pen from underneath the pillow. She flicked the flashlight on and immediately began to write. 

'Today was the most wonderful, exciting, passionate date I have ever had! For three years straight, I have dated guys who were absolute jerks, but today, I finally found the perfect guy for me! Seta Soujirou…I could say his name for hours and not get tired…

He's amazingly handsome too! I always thought that Aoshi-sama was the most handsome guy around, but for some reason, Sou-chan not only has the handsome looks, but he also has that sweetness, that cuteness that Aoshi-sama never likes to reveal. Those slightly messy black locks, those vibrant blue eyes, that amazing smile…I can't believe my luck that I've found such a cute guy!

Now if only I don't scare him away…Omasu and Okon always say that I should try to tone it down, but if the guy doesn't like me for who I am, then what's the point of going out with him? He needs to like me for myself! I'm not going to change just to be more likeable!'

Misao shut her diary as she heard footsteps echo from outside her room and she snapped the flashlight off before stuffing the diary and flashlight under her pillow. She waited until the footsteps grew softer, and then she slipped out of bed and stared out of her window with a sigh. A sudden flash of light caught her eye.

"A shooting star!" she whispered excitedly. She closed her eyes tightly and made her wish.

_I wish…I wish that Sou-chan will be the one I'm destined to be with…

* * *

_

Elsewhere, a pair of bright blue eyes stared up at the shooting star.

_I wish that this time, our plan shall be successful…

* * *

_

Okita watched Kaya as she walked up the stairs with her little sister in tow. Aika almost fell asleep on the floor, so Kaya decided that she would tuck her in. As soon as Kaya disappeared, Ryoko's eyes fell on Okita.

"You're a secret agent too, aren't you?" asked Ryoko softly. Okita nodded, and Ryoko stood up with a sigh.

"Has Kaya ever told you much about her family?" asked Ryoko.

"Kaya told me about you and Aika, but she never told me the details about her parents' death" replied Okita. "She doesn't like to talk about that topic much, and I really didn't want to push her…"

Ryoko stood up and picked up a photo from a nearby ledge. Okita looked at it to see a man with shoulder length black hair and light grey eyes standing next to a woman who was the spitting image of Kaya.

"Kaya-kun's mother and father" whispered Ryoko softly. "Mina-kun died while giving birth to Aika; she was always a frail young woman, and had a very fragile health. But she lived for her children, so she insisted on giving birth to Aika. Then Moshi-kun brought both his daughters to me so that they would have a woman figure in their life. But when Kaya-kun was twenty, he died."

A tear slipped down Ryoko's cheek as she looked at Okita.

"He was a secret agent for the Sekihotai Agency."

_Sekihotai…did Miyana know him?_

"After his death, money was very tight, and Kaya was still in college. The Agency sent money, even after the assassin of their captain, but it was never enough for me to raise two children, one in college, and one just a child. Kaya immediately joined the Hiten Agency and became a secret agent to support us and to support her education. Just as well, the Sekihotai Agency sent us the last payment and said that they couldn't send anymore a week ago" said Ryoko bitterly.

"Ryoko-san, the Sekihotai Agency dissipated" said Okita gently.

"It did?" whispered Ryoko. "I wonder what happened…"

"Miyana said it was employment issues or something like that…" murmured Okita.

"Miyana? As in Sagara Miyana, Sagara Souzou's child?" asked Ryoko.

"Yeah!" said Okita with a grin.

"How does she know?" asked Ryoko in confusion.

"She was the head. She's been the head since Captain Sagara died" said Okita, just as confused as Ryoko.

"You've got to be kidding me" said Ryoko in shock. "She was fourth in line to become head! And when Sagara-san died, she must have just been sixteen!"

"She was fourth in line?" asked Okita, confused again.

"If something were to happen to the Captain, first, Nagasaki Kayo was supposed to be the head of the Agency, then Sagara Sanosuke, then Tsukioka Katsuhiro, and then Sagara Miyana…" Ryoko trailed off. "I never knew that she ended up becoming head when she was just sixteen, the poor girl…"

_She never told us that! She must have hid it so that Sanosuke wouldn't feel guilty!_

"Anyways, I wanted to let you know that I want Kaya to be happy" whispered Ryoko softly. "I don't want her to or her husband to end up like her father…can you promise that you will protect her?"

"When I proposed, I said I would spend my whole life with her. I'll stand next to her every minute Ryoko-san" said Okita quietly.

"I'll protect her."

"Soushi? Obaasan?" Kaya walked down the stairs with a smile on her face. "What are you two talking about?"

"We were just sharing embarrassing stories about you" said Ryoko with a grin. "Okita-chan, when Kaya was a little girl, do you know that she was scared of the cupboards in the kitchen? She was afraid demons would jump out from the pots and pans!"

Okita laughed as Kaya blushed furiously.

"Ryoko-san, that's a great story" said Okita with a grin. "But unfortunately, I do have to leave now. It was great meeting you!" He stood up and shook hands with Ryoko and then turned to Kaya and kissed her on the cheek. "See you later Kaya. Love you" he whispered before giving her a wave and walking out the door.

"He's a good boy" said Ryoko softly. Kaya hugged her grandmother tightly.

"I'm glad you like him as much as I do" said Kaya quietly.

_I love you too Soushi…I love you too…

* * *

_

"Sano no baka!"

Sanosuke awoke to see a very angry doctor in the making staring down at him.

"I don't wanna take my shots" he muttered, flipping to his side.

"I'm not your doctor, I'm your girlfriend!"

Sanosuke shot up and promptly hit his head on the roof of the car. "Ouch" he muttered, rubbing his head before turning to look at an incensed Megumi.

"What's wrong Kitsune?" he asked sleepily, trying to hide a yawn.

"You idiot! Enishi's apartment key is on this key chain! He's locked out thanks to us!" yelled Megumi.

"OH SHIT!" yelled Sanosuke, clambering into the front seat while Megumi elegantly slipped out of the backseat through the door and opened the front door to enter her seat. He immediately shoved the keys into the ignition and drove off towards his apartments.

* * *

BANG! 

Miyana and Enishi had been chatting when a sudden knocked jerked them out of their seats. Miyana immediately opened the door to see a sheepish Sanosuke and Megumi.

"Sanosuke? Takani-san? What are you doing here?" asked Miyana in surprise.

"Ok, if you get a call from Enishi, tell him that our car broke down, and that's why we took a long time, alright?" said Sanosuke breathlessly. "Don't let him know that we had a romantic evening! He'll kill me!"

"Sanosuke" whispered Miyana.

"Yes?"

"Did it ever occur to you to look around a room before you spoke?"

"No, why?"

Miyana shook her head and moved away from the door to reveal an incensed Enishi.

"Hey Enishi" said Sanosuke weakly.

"You…are…dead…rooster…" muttered Enishi angrily, snatching his keys out of Sanosuke's hands.

"We better go" said Megumi hurriedly, pushing Sanosuke out the door. "I need some time to arrange my boyfriend's funeral."

They rushed out the door just as Miyana closed the door shut, her eyebrow raised in amusement.

* * *

"Yahiko, you can talk to Shinomori-san while I get Tsubame from Dr. Gensai, okay?" asked Kaoru with a smile. She slipped out the door, leaving a sopping wet Aoshi with a guilty Yahiko. 

"Who's Tsubame?" asked Aoshi, wiping the water from his eyes.

"Sakura obasan's niece. When Obasan died, Megumi and Kaoru took Tsubame and I and rented this apartment. They used to let Tsubame and I live together all the time, but when I started dating her, they immediately decided that Tsubame couldn't stay in the house with me unless one of them was with me. Stupid girls always think about hormones and stuff like that" muttered Yahiko. "Anyways, why did busu bring you here?"

"Tea" said Aoshi, squeezing his trench coat over the sink.

"Wow, busu must not really like you!" said Yahiko with a laugh. Aoshi looked at Yahiko with a perplexed expression.

"What do you mean?" asked Aoshi confusedly.

"You don't know a thing about busu, do you?" asked Yahiko.

Aoshi shook his head.

"Busu cannot cook to save her life! Everything she makes is poison, and her tea could kill you in one second! That's why she invited you in for tea!" said Yahiko with a grin.

"We're here!" sang out Kaoru, bringing Tsubame inside. "Shinomori-san, this is Sanjou Tsubame, my cousin. Tsubame, this is Shinomori Aoshi."

"Hello" said Tsubame shyly, earning herself a nod from Aoshi.

"Anyways Aoshi, I'll make you that tea" said Kaoru with a grin.

"Kaoru-san, are you sure?" asked Tsubame uncertainly. "I could make it…"

"No thanks!" said Kaoru cheerfully. Aoshi looked over to see Yahiko draw a line over his neck and make choking noises while Tsubame simply nodded, agreeing with Yahiko.

"Kamiya, I'm not drinking your tea, and I'm going to go now" said Aoshi quickly.

"No need! Here's your tea!" said Kaoru cheerfully, handing it to him in a coffee cup with a lid. Aoshi looked at it warily.

"Well come on, drink a sip!" said Kaoru quietly. Aoshi took one tiny sip.

"Botulism, botulism!" yelled out Yahiko.

"Shinomori-san, you shouldn't have!"

"You guys!" wailed Kaoru. "I'm an excellent cook!"

"Quiet."

All three heads turned to Aoshi.

"Yahiko, if I get water on my head again, I'll force feed you this tea, and if I get botulism Kamiya, you are going to pay for my medical bills, because this tea is abysmal and abominable" said Aoshi coldly, tossing the tea into the trashcan and walking out of the apartment. Kaoru immediately ran out after him.

"Well!" she yelled out into the stairwell. "That was revenge for shoving me into your car, you heartless jerk!"

"You know what this means Kamiya?"

"What?"

"This means war!"

"Bring it on!"

* * *

**WAR! What is it good for? Absolutely nothing! (that's from a song I heard on the Rush Hour Soundtrack...it's not mine!)**

**So, Aoshi and Kaoru are at war! Haha! You also find out a bit about Miyana, Sanosuke, Megumi, Kaoru, and Kaya, so I'm happy!**

**Note: Enishi's comment about Kenshin - I don't believe that myself (I think Kenshin's cool!) but since it's Enishi speaking, it had to sound spiteful**

**Second Note: I know Aoshi doesn't laugh, but come on! Someone just told him that he'll fall in love with his enemy! Do you think he's going to just sit there and nod?**

**Next Chapter - A new mission awaits - and Miyana, Sanosuke, and Kaya are the three people who are most determined to succeed at the new mission. Any guesses why?**

**Anyways, please review PLEASE, especially those of you on my favorites/alerts list and my older reviewers, because I'd love to hear from you! Ja ne till next week, hopefully!**


	12. A New Mission

**Disclaimer – Rurouni Kenshin is mine! I can vouch for it!**

**Aoshi – I fail to believe that**

**Hitoezakura – But it's true!**

**Kaoru – Then how come you only have the volumes 1-15 and are missing five DVDs?**

**Hitoezakura – Hehehe…you really need to pay less attention Kaoru…**

**Alucard – It's better than my situation. She has all the episodes and absolutely no manga of Hellsing…**

**Hitoezakura – GET OUT!**

**Alucard, Aoshi, and Kaoru – Which one of us are you asking to leave?**

**Hitoezakura – ALL OF YOU!**

**Hitoezakura – Yes, yes, I really don't own Rurouni Kenshin…**

**Soooo…I hope you all aren't going to murder me for not updating sooner…but I had a Calc II final and a World History midterm, so I'm sorry! And then high school started, and I ran out of time (technically, I'm supposed to be writing a paper, but as I am a loss for topics, I'm simply writing so that I can bounce ideas in my head...**

**Anyways, school has started (calc and history were during the summer), so my updating is going to be a lot slower…I'm sorry! However, I received a gift before school began! This story has hit 50 reviews! I am sooooooooo happy! Thank you, thank you, thank you all of my reviewers, and I'd love to see you keep reviewing.**

**On a more depressing note, people have been putting me on their alert and favorites lists, but they haven't been reviewing. Please, please, please review, because I would love to receive feedback from you! Also I haven't seen recent reviews from some of my previous reviewers, and I would love to hear from you guys too! I really don't want to mention names, so please either review or come back once again! PLEASE, I BEG YOU!**

**Anyways, reviewer responses!**

**Blooded wyngs – Well, the fortune was just so absurd that all Aoshi could've possibly done was laugh (I hope you entered a temporary euphoria though). The Yahiko incident actually came to my mind when I wrote about Kaoru opening her door, so it was completely unplanned, but I thought it was pretty funny. As for your hypothesis…well, you'll just have to read the story and find out (I'm sorry, but I do love to keep people in suspense)! Hiko doesn't prefer Miyana over Kenshin (though it does seem like that). In the anime, when Kenshin goes to hug Hiko, Hiko pushes him into a shelf, insisting he doesn't like men, so he usually doesn't tend to show that much affection towards men. However, he does truly care for Kenshin. And Miyana's not better than Kenshin, as you will read in this chapter. Romantic scenes with Enishi and jealousy scenes with Aoshi will eventually appear (hopefully), so keep holding on! Thanks for reviewing and please continue reviewing!**

**As for that Saitou Miyana line…well, that was just an error (I changed it once I saw your review in my inbox)**

**Crewel – I'm glad you love those SxM moments! The SxM romance might slow down in the next few chapters, but I'll be sure to keep writing more moments! Thanks for reviewing!**

**Bradybunch4529 – Aoshi and Kaoru have declared war, and therefore, there is going to be plenty of fighting and jealousy coming up! I'm thrilled that you like this story, and I hope you keep reviewing!**

**Ardenilia – Yay, you came back! Yes, the Aoshi Kaoru war will soon commence, and although it won't be incredibly hot and spicy, it will be humorous and jealousy filled! Please keep reviewing!**

**Kite06 – Yes, both opinions are true (I hope you read the entire story…). Anyways, thanks for reviewing, and I hope to see more reviews from you in the future.**

**NOTE! – As much as I love my current editor, she is quite busy, and doesn't exactly find the time to read my stories (let's overlook the fact that it took me three months to convince her to actually read this story). If anyone likes to edit my story, could you please say so in your review! I'd love an editor who will actually read my new chapters in less than a month!**

**On the the story!**

* * *

**HOW IS THIS LOVE?**

Okina shuffled the papers in front of him as he waited patiently for his agents to come through the door.

_I'm thankful that Misao finally found a boyfriend! Now, I can call people behind her back so that she'll never find out about the Agency! Moreover, it's especially wonderful that her boyfriend and she are spending as much time as they can together before college starts again!_

He suddenly heard a knock at the door. He opened it to reveal Shiro and Kuro.

"You two finished your training?" asked Okina with a smile.

"We did, but Hanya and the others decided to train for a while longer. They got your message about the mission and decided that some extra training would be useful," said Shiro quietly.

"However, we came back so that we could train with Omasu and Okon," said Kuro. "After all, we do attack in a group, not in pairs!"

"Well come in now, come in!" said Okina jovially. "I'm just waiting for the others to arrive!"

"There are Okita, Kaya, Saitou-san, and Tokio-san!" said Shiro quickly, pointing to Okita's car coming up in the driveway.

"Why don't you two go down to the room where Aoshi, Omasu, and Okon are sitting in?" suggested Okina. "I'll explain the mission to you in depth when everyone comes."

Shiro and Kuro headed downstairs just as Enishi pulled in with Megumi, Sanosuke, and Kaoru in tow. Right behind Enishi was Kenshin in his car, with Tomoe, Hiko, Kenji, and Miyana.

"Well, everyone's arrived!" yelled out Okina as soon as each person had stepped out of the car. "Downstairs to the board room everyone!" he yelled, leading the way.

* * *

"So what have you called us for Okina?" asked Kenshin curiously. "When you called me, you told me to bring Tomoe and Kenji along, which means it must be an extremely serious matter." 

"Actually, there's a new mission, and it concerns many of you" said Okina quietly. "I explained the details to Hiko."

Hiko cleared his throat.

"Baka deshi, do you remember Katsura Kogoro?"

Kenshin's head snapped up in surprise. "Katsura-san? As in the government official who hired me as an assassin?"

"You were an assassin Ken-san?" asked Megumi in surprise, whirling around to glance at Kaoru's reaction. Kaoru seemed remarkably calm.

_Then again, Ken-san probably already told her…they were extremely close, after all…_

"Saitou was an assassin too" chimed in Okina. "However, Katsura was not the one to discover Saitou. Okubo was the one who discovered the talent in Saitou. In fact, even Okubo is involved in this case."

"When did these two stop being assassins?" asked Megumi confusedly. "I never knew about any of this, and frankly, I'm a bit confused…"  
"Let's just say that a reporter and a policewoman changed their minds," said Okina with a sly grin, causing Tomoe and Tokio to glare at him angrily. Megumi laughed softly.

"Anyways, back to the case," said Hiko quietly. "Kaya, Shinomori, you two were sent on a mission to become celebrities so that we could infiltrate the parties held by the elite. Remember four years ago, when we received the threat to the government?"

"Yes," replied Aoshi shortly.

"We know who sent that threat" said Okina. "The same one who sent another threat just recently. The name of the perpetrator is Makoto Shishio."

Saitou's eyes narrowed.

_Makoto Shishio…the assassin appointed by Saigo Takamori to assist Battousai and me…_

"I thought he was disposed of when he murdered some of the non-corrupt officials just to gain power!" exclaimed Kenshin.

"So we thought," said Hiko with a shrug. "The Sekihotai and Hiten Agencies searched his building for any future plans, and when we failed to find any, we strategically placed bombs in his headquarters. After the bomb blast, we were unable to find any bodies and were therefore certain that he was dead. Apparently, he survived, and has rebuilt his army and supplies during these past four years."

"Hiko-san, we received his first threat four years ago," said Tokio thoughtfully. "If his plans weren't in the building, then wouldn't they have still been safe? Why did he have to rebuild everything in these past four years? What happened to his original plans?"

"He had actually drawn up plans, and for a few years, he actually seemed like he was going to come out into the open, but a year ago, he suddenly disappeared. It was as if the essential materials he needed had been destroyed…," murmured Hiko thoughtfully.

Unseen by anybody, Miyana's fists clenched.

**_"You were working for Shishio all along?" Miyana shrieked, waving the papers at him angrily. "I can't believe this!"_**

**_"Give those back!" he commanded harshly._**

**_"I've been a fool for these past three years," she whispered, her voice trembling with anger and hatred. "It's time I do something right!"_**

_**She threw the papers into the fireplace. "Now let's see how Shishio can operate without his plans!" she yelled angrily.**_

_**"If I die because of Shishio's fury, my blood will be on your hands!" he growled.**_

**_"Then so be it" she whispered. "I don't care anymore…"_**

Miyana unclenched her fists and once again tuned into the conversation.

"Hiko-san, Okina, I think we need to explain the whole story to the younger agents" said Tomoe softly. "I don't think they understand the situation completely…"

Okina sighed and pulled out six photos from the folder.

"Here are the three most powerful government officials in Japan," said Okina quietly, passing out three photos. "Katsura Kogoro, Saigo Takamori, and Okubo Toshimichi. These three men believed in an uncorrupt government, and declared that their new mission was to rid their current government of corruption. Working in secrecy, each official chose a single man whose skills and talents would be utilized to eliminate the corruption. Katsura discovered Kenshin through Hiko, Okubo found Saitou in the police department, and Saigo uncovered Shishio from the villages deep in Japan. Kenshin, Saitou, and Shishio were used as tools, utilized to assassinate the corrupt officials. However, Kenshin left after three years, when a reporter named Yukishiro Tomoe questioned him about the families of the corrupt officials. Saitou left four years after that, when the officials informed him that they had eliminated all corruption. All three assassins were offered huge sums of money and were even offered jobs to repay them for the years of suffering they endured. Kenshin and Saitou refused, but Shishio accepted the offer."

"However, Shishio began his murdering once again, killing anyone in his path just to achieve the power he believed he deserved" muttered Hiko. "That was when the Sekihotai and Hiten Agencies began to take this matter into their own hands. Our mission lasted for four years, beginning a year before Sagara's assassination, when we planted the bombs in Shishio's headquarters."

"Apparently, it will take more than bombs to defeat Shishio" said Okina quietly. "That is why we are accepting this mission."

"And do you have any plans?" asked Enishi.

"Saigo, Katsura, and Okubo are most probably Shishio's targets," murmured Hiko. "By eliminating the three most powerful officials, he will send Japan into chaos, and during that chaos, he will take over Japan and declared the country as his own."

"Do we have any information about his team?" asked Kaoru.

"None whatsoever" said Okina.

"So what's our plan of action?" asked Sanosuke with a grin. "I'd like to kill that bastard!"

Megumi placed her hand on Sanosuke's and squeezed it softly.

_You have every right to be angry…he's the destroyer of your life...he separated you from your family..._

"There's a fancy party in the course of two weeks," said Okina. "We are going to send all of you down there, either as guests or guards, and you are to protect the three officials. Meanwhile, for the next two weeks, we'll be undergoing extensive training. Since we need to cooperate on this mission, I am going to make you train in pairs, either with a partner who will enhance your skills, or a partner with whom you are unable to get along. Cooperation is essential, and I cannot have bickering ruining this mission."

"Wait, so you're going to team us up with people we can't stand?" asked Sanosuke bluntly.

"Yes" said Hiko simply. "Any problems Sagara?"

"I'm going to be stuck with that bastard Saitou…," muttered Sanosuke darkly.

"Ahou" muttered Saitou, pulling out a cigarette.

"Actually…we've determined the training partners already!" exclaimed Okina with a grin. "I'm excluded, because I'll be working with Kuro, Shiro, Omasu, and Okon. Hanya, Beshimi, Hyottoko, and Shikijou are still training in the forests, so we won't expect them for a little while. Anyways, they aren't right for this mission because their strange features will give them away almost immediately and will arouse unnecessary curiosity."

"So, what are the pairs?" asked Kaoru curiously, getting down to business.

"Hiko and Okita."

Okita groaned and banged his head against the table.

_Why am I stuck with an arrogant egoist?_

"Sanosuke and Aoshi."  
"You're sticking me with an ice-block?" asked Sanosuke incredulously.

A book hit Sanosuke squarely on the head.

"Kenshin and Enishi."  
"WHAT?" growled Enishi, but his rage simmered as Tomoe shot him a glare.

"Tomoe and Kaoru."

Megumi's eyes widened as Kaoru and Tomoe glanced at each other warily.

_Tomoe's very insecure about Kaoru and Kenshin's friendship at times, and Kaoru loves Kenshin with all her heart, but can't tell him because of his marriage with Tomoe. How is that ever going to work out?_

"Tokio, you're working with both Megumi and Kaya."

Megumi sighed with relief, thrilled that she was paired with two women who seemed quite nice and tolerable.

Miyana's eyes suddenly widened in fright as she stared at the last person who had not been paired off.

_Please…please don't stick me with him…please don't stick me with him…_

"Miyana and Saitou."

* * *

"I swear, training is going to be a sordid affair, isn't it?" muttered Okita to himself. "I'm stuck with 'my ego is bigger than yours' Hiko!" 

"Hiko-san isn't really that horrible!" said Kaya with a laugh.

"Easy for you to say, he's actually nice to you!" snapped Okita, a grin still on his face. Kaya laughed once again.

"Soushi, this is only for the sake of cooperation," said Kaya cheerfully. "This is for our mission, so why shouldn't we take extra efforts to succeed?"

"How can I possibly argue with my fiancé?" asked Okita mischievously, raising her hand to his lips, causing her to blush.

"Okita, I haven't even told the gang yet," whispered Kaya. "If you keep making me blush, they're all going to find out sooner or later…"

"Don't tell them yet" murmured Okita. "For some reason, it just seems special that only we know…well, us and your family…"

"Soushi?" asked Kaya softly.

"Yeah?"

"Why don't you tell Saitou-san and Tokio-san about the engagement?" asked Kaya. "They're your family…don't you want to tell them?"

"We should tell them, shouldn't we?" said Okita quietly, his eyes suddenly downcast. "They're…family..."

"Soushi…you're hiding something from me…" whispered Kaya sadly. " What's wrong?"

* * *

"Hey, where did Miyana disappear to?" muttered Enishi curiously, driving towards the Akabeko so that he could drop off Kaoru. 

"I have no clue, but if you ever want to be friends with Miyana, then you'll have to get used to her disappearing acts!" said Sanosuke with a grin. "She's great at disappearing when you want to talk to her the most!"

"Come to think of it, Aoshi's disappeared too" said Megumi. "Miyana and Aoshi…they're really similar that way!"

"Yeah, and they're both really quiet, they both barely speak unless you engage them in some sort of argument or discussion…you're right Megumi, they are really similar!" said Kaoru with a laugh. "Maybe we should play matchmaker and set them up!"

"Miyana? Aoshi?" exclaimed Sanosuke in awe. "Are you trying to prove that the world shall end tomorrow? They don't make a good couple at all!"

Enishi laughed aloud, but within his head, one question seemed to reign.

_"Sometimes Enishi-san…only sometimes…"_

_Could Aoshi possibly be someone that falls in the 'sometimes' category?_

"Hey, Enishi!"

Enishi shook his head slightly to remove himself from the world of his thoughts and turned to Sanosuke. "What is it rooster?" he asked calmly.

"Can you manage the bar at night?" asked Sanosuke with a sheepish grin. "I have a date at eight with my foxy mate!"

"Sanosuke that is the cheesiest rhyme you have come up with in the history of your life!" exclaimed Kaoru with a roll of her eyes. "Honestly, you'd think that big head of yours would have some brains!"

"You'd think a girl like you could cook!"

"I can cook you stupid rooster!"

"Sure, burnt rice really proves that you can cook!"

"At least my rice is better than your brains! My rice is only partially burnt, but your brains are completely fried!"

Megumi laughed, watching Sanosuke and Kaoru commence another shouting match.

"Hey Kaoru!" interrupted Enishi. "If you're not doing anything tonight, how about joining me at the bar to keep me company?"

"Sure!" replied Kaoru with a grin. "Oh, there's the Akabeko! Sanosuke, Megumi see you tomorrow! Enishi, see you at eight!" she called out, hopping out of Enishi's car.

"Don't be late!" called out Sanosuke with a laugh. He was suddenly knocked back in his seat by a rock thrown by Kaoru.

"Come on Enishi!" muttered Megumi. "I really don't want to be late! And rooster-head, if you make one more rhyme-"

"I know, I know, I'll be crossing the line," said Sanosuke with the roll of his eyes. Suddenly, he realized exactly what he had done, and his eyes widened with horror.

"Kitsune, I swear, I really didn't mean to-"

BANG! CRASH! THUD!

Ten minutes later, Enishi and Megumi had to carry Sanosuke up to a hospital bed in Megumi's hospital due to the sever injuries they had both inflicted upon poor Sanosuke.

* * *

Aoshi stepped inside the bookstore warily, desperately hoping that there would be some enjoyable book on the shelves. He had no desire to find petty, repeated romances that always seemed to surface in every story in any novel he purchased. He climbed the stairs towards the musty corners of the bookstore, a place where he always seemed relaxed for some reason. 

To his surprise, there was someone already there. Someone astonishingly familiar…

"Miyana?" he asked, his eyes wide with surprise. Miyana whirled around in shock.

"Shinomori-san! What are you doing here?" she asked softly, shelving the armload of book nestled in her arms.

"I could ask you the same question myself," replied Aoshi.

"I work here," said Miyana simply. "It's my second source of income. I'm not exactly well off in terms of money."

"I thought you were a secret agent long before this", murmured Aoshi.

"Before the Agency closed, I paid reparations to many of the agents out of my own pocket," whispered Miyana. "It was the least I could do for them…Anyways, what are you doing here?" she repeated.

"Looking for a book to read" said Aoshi.

"You're in the wrong section Shinomori-san," said Miyana with the raise of an eyebrow. "Unless your aversion to romance has suddenly dissipated."

Aoshi glanced at the labels on the shelf and to his annoyance; the shelf was labeled 'Romance'.

"Any books on how romance is a bunch of trash?" asked Aoshi with a shrug. Miyana rolled her eyes slightly.

"Someday Shinomori-san, you might fall in love, and you'll eat those words of yours" said Miyana with a shake of her head. "But here are some books about the dangers of romance if you're that interested."

"Excellent. I should buy one for Kamiya," muttered Aoshi. "Maybe I should buy one for you too, while I'm at it. Are you one of those people who believe in love?"

"What's wrong with believing in love?" asked Miyana softly.

"The fact that no matter what, the heart is always broken in the end…" murmured Aoshi, picking up the book and making his way to the counter, not noticing that Miyana's eyes had widened and were now glittering with tears.

_The heart is always broken in the end…_

She quickly blinked back her tears and shelved the remainder of her books before making a beeline for the storage room.

* * *

"Shishou?" 

Hiko turned to Kenshin, who had offered to drive Hiko home after Tomoe and Kenji had been dropped off at the supermarket to pick up some groceries.

"Yes Baka deshi?" asked Hiko.

"You know, you really should stop calling me that!" insisted Kenshin. "After all, it's been quite a few years since I was your student!"

"But it's just natural instinct!" replied Hiko with a smug grin. Kenshin rolled his eyes in frustration and exasperation.

_Sometimes it seems that Shishou just doesn't care…_

"Baka deshi, I hope you aren't thinking that I don't care about what you have to say," boomed Hiko from his side. "Who do you think it was who taught you the last succession techniques? Who do you think listened to you talk about Shishio and tipped you off numerous times so that you could capture the man?"

Kenshin smiled, and now it was Hiko's turn to roll his eyes.

"You're a little too affectionate for a man," Hiko muttered. "I can't believe that after so many years, the first thing you tried to do was hug me. Of course I was going to kick you away! I like women, not men!"

Kenshin laughed, and Hiko grinned.

_Don't forget Baka deshi…I'm not heartless…I'm just not verbal with affection…_

"Alright, so what were you going to ask me?" asked Hiko.

"There are numerous questions, and all of them are about your second pupil," said Kenshin quietly. Hiko sighed and began to speak.

"I found Miyana on the streets when she was only five. She smiled at me just once, and suddenly, I felt extremely protective. When she smiles, believe me, it's extremely captivating. I took her in and trained her in the arts of Hiten Mitsurugi," murmured Hiko.

"So she's at my level now?" asked Kenshin curiously.

"No" replied Hiko firmly. "Miyana was terrified of mastering the Amakakeru Ryuu No Hirameki. She had studied the history of the Hiten Mitsurugi, and she discovered that mastering that technique would mean killing her own master. She stopped at the Kuzuryuusen and insisted that she wasn't going to learn the ultimate technique at the risk of my life. Unlike you baka deshi, she owned no reverse-blade sword like the one you bore when you arrived to learn the ultimate technique, but a deadly katana. She's trained herself well with the katana, well enough to keep herself from killing her opponent, but she didn't want to risk my life, and therefore refused to master the ultimate technique."

"Was that the time when you sent her to Sagara-san?" asked Kenshin.

"It was at that time I realized how attached she had become to me, and I was scared that I would ruin her life. So I sent her to Sagara-san, and by doing that, I have created the quiet, non-smiling Miyana you see before you today," muttered Hiko, clenching his fists.

"Do you even know the extent of what happened to her Shishou?" whispered Kenshin.

"No one knows," said Hiko with a tired voice. "The girl is the most stubborn human being you will see on this Earth, and I have no doubt that she will never tell us everything."

"We're at your house Shishou" said Kenshin abruptly, stopping the car smoothly and unlocking the doors with a flick of the switch on his armrest. Hiko stepped out of the car.

"By the way baka deshi" said Hiko, holding the car door open. "Send your kid to me for swordsmanship training. Who knows how you'll teach the poor kid!"

"You're so mean Shishou!" muttered Kenshin, but smiles surfaced both the teacher and student's faces as Hiko shut the door and began to walk away.

* * *

"The flames…it's almost as if they're dancing…" 

She grinned as she swept up her dark brown hair into a neat bun with a single strand of beads. She smoothed out her kimono, her palms running along the fine, soft silk, before glancing at her dancing flames.

"But I suppose that means that he's happy" she whispered softly. "And if he is happy, then I am happy, for he is the reason why I live this life."

"Miss Yumi?"

Komigata Yumi turned around with a smile, recognizing the voice. "Hey kiddo" she greeted softly. "How are you?"

"I'm fine," replied the bearer of the voice. "However, I have important news for Shishio-sama. Where is he at the moment?"

"I don't know," said Yumi with a shrug.

"The flames…" replied the bearer of the voice. " They're dancing…Shishio-sama must be happy…"

"You noticed it too, huh?" asked Yumi with a grin. "It means everything is going according to our plans…and this time, no one shall stand in the way of Shishio!"

* * *

"Okita Soushi, what are you hiding from me?" asked Kaya softly. "I know I might be asking for you to reveal a deep secret, but if it's painful, don't you think it's my right as your fiancé to share the pain you bear?" 

"Kaya, you don't need this burden!" muttered Okita. "I know it'll just eat away at you."

"Why don't you want to tell Tokio-san and Saitou-san about our engagement?" asked Kaya softly. "Soushi, they've supported our relationship for so long, I'm sure they'd approve! They would never try to separate us! Why don't you want to tell your parents about our engagement?"

"They're not the ones I'm worried about! I'm worried about telling my real parents!" yelled out Okita. Kaya's eyes widened in shock.

"Your real parents?" she whispered faintly. "Soushi…what are you talking about?"

"Saitou-san and Tokio-san are not my real parents," muttered Okita. "I ran away from home when I was eighteen without a single yen in my pockets. Saitou-san knew me since I was a kid in high school, and we developed a kind of father-son bond. During my high school years, I would always hang out at their home until midnight and would return to my home only to leave at five in the morning. When they discovered I had run away from home, Saitou-san and Tokio-san tracked me down and immediately took me in…"

"You were afraid to tell me this Soushi?" asked Kaya softly. "Soushi, I will never leave your side unless you ask me to, and-"

Kaya gasped as Okita's hand shot out and grasped her wrist in a tight hold.

"I will never ask you to leave," whispered Okita, his voice trembling with his emotions. "Never...so don't ever say that again!"

"Soushi…" Kaya wrapped her arms around Okita and embraced him tightly, tears streaming down her cheeks as she tried to comfort him. He pulled away slightly, but only to wipe the tears from Kaya's eyes. She smiled softly, and Okita's face broke out into a grin upon seeing the happiness in her eyes. He then pulled away completely, but took a hold of her hand.

"Come on" said Okita quietly. "We need to go."

"Where?" asked Kaya curiously.

"To Saitou-san and Tokio-san's" said Okita with a grin. "We need to tell them we're married." He immediately attempted to pull her forward, but her immobility prevented him from doing so.

"Kaya?" murmured Okita questioningly. "Why are you pulling me back?"

"Soushi…we need to see your parents…," whispered Kaya gently.

"That's where we're going!" insisted Okita. "To Saitou-san's!"

"Soushi, your real parents!" cried out Kaya. "I know that they must have hurt you in the past since you never want to return to them, but they're your parents! If you don't tell them about our engagement, then you'll regret it for your whole life! We need to tell them Soushi!"

"I don't care about regrets!" yelled Okita. "Kaya, the reason I ran away from them was because they were deciding my life for me! They were trying to choose my occupation, my home, my wife, the number of children I should have, and even the number of grandchildren they wanted! If I show them the woman that I chose for myself, they'll scorn you and disrespect you, and I'd rather live a life of regret than see you in that position!"

"Soushi, if I ever became the cause for your life of regret, do you think I'll be happy?" asked Kaya softly. "Please Soushi, just tell them about us. Just this once, so that you'll never feel regret…"

Okita sighed heavily.

"Alright Kaya…" he finally agreed. "We shall meet them this one time."

* * *

Aoshi walked away from the bookstore and tossed his purchase in the back seat of the car. 

_Whenever I see Kamiya again, I can just give her the book…_

_First, I should find something to eat._

Aoshi quickly drove by restaurant after restaurant until coming upon his favorite restaurant, one he had enjoyed eating at ever since he was a child.

_The Akabeko…even after four years, this place hasn't changed…_

Aoshi immediately parked in a nearby spot and made his away towards the restaurant.

* * *

"Miss Tae, you said that I had to hurry to work today!" muttered Kaoru. 

"I'm sorry Kaoru, I didn't anticipate this!" apologized Tae.

"The restaurant's empty!" wailed Kaoru. "I'm bored!"

_Perhaps I should've just gone with Enishi…but Miss Tae had insisted that at least one waitress needed to be at the restaurant, and I thought having no waitresses would be too much for her to handle, especially without Tsubame…_

"Why don't you help wash the dishes or something?" suggested Tae. "I'll inform you the moment a customer walks through the door!"

Suddenly, they heard the front door open.

"Finally!" exclaimed Kaoru, grabbing a small notepad and a handful of menus before skating off to the front door.

"Kaoru, you really shouldn't go that fast! You haven't exactly learned how to keep your balance on the skates!" cried out Tae in panic.

"Don't worry Tae!" assured Kaoru. "I think I've learned how to - ouch!"

Kaoru collided with the person at the front door and knocked the person down, falling on top of the person.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" cried out Kaoru, shutting her eyes, waiting for the rebuke. "I'm so sorry, I really-"

"I never knew you were such a klutz Kamiya," replied the person in an icy tone that Kaoru recognized too well.

"If I had known it was you, I wouldn't have apologized," muttered Kaoru under her breath, immediately halting the apologies she had been repeating a few seconds ago. "What are you doing here Shinomori-san?"

"I have arrived to eat lunch", answered Aoshi evenly. "Had I known that the price of my lunch would cost one trip to the hospital, I wouldn't have bothered coming here."

"It'll cost you a lot more than one trip to the hospital if you keep making remarks like that!" growled Kaoru angrily, brandishing her fist at him.

"Aoshi-san!" cried out Tae all of a sudden. "Oh my, I haven't seen you for four years! How are you?"

"I'm fine" replied Aoshi. "How's the restaurant?"

"Oh, business is wonderful! Everyday, this restaurant is packed with people!"

Aoshi and Kaoru glanced at the empty surroundings before turning to meet Tae's eyes once again. Tae gave a weak chuckle.

"Well, everyday except for today that is…" replied Tae sheepishly. "But don't worry! I'm just thrilled that my first customer ever has come back to eat here again!"

"Shinomori-san was your first customer?" asked Kaoru in surprise. Tae nodded happily.

"Aoshi-san was the first person to enter this restaurant, and he immediately recommended it to everybody he knew, and soon, as word traveled, business started to grow, and I had to hire so many waitresses! But Aoshi-san always came, and he's our valued customer!" exclaimed Tae, already making her way to the kitchen. "Aoshi-san, would you like an appetizer of sushi and a sukiyaki?"

"You remembered my order even after four years?" asked Aoshi.

"How could I ever forget Aoshi-san?" asked Tae with a laugh. She disappeared into the kitchens, leaving a slightly infuriated Kaoru (for she had not been able to get over his biting remarks) with Aoshi.

"Anything to drink Shinomori-san?" asked Kaoru. "Sake, water, soda, tea?"

"Tea" replied Aoshi.

"And would you like a shot of sake in the tea or no?" asked Kaoru.

"Does Hiko come here that often?"

"Other people aside from Hiko-san seem to enjoy a shot of sake in their tea" replied Kaoru with a shrug. "Do you want a shot of sake in your tea?

"No sake, I have no tolerance" answered Aoshi.

_Really? Shinomori-san, thank you for that interesting tidbit…Kaoru, you better keep that stowed away in your mind somewhere, it'll come out useful someday…_

"Coming right up!" exclaimed Kaoru with a huge smile, disappearing into the kitchen, missing Aoshi's slightly surprised expression.

_Kamiya has a pretty smile…_

_Wait, why am I suddenly thinking of her as pretty?_

Aoshi shook his head violently and stepped out of the restaurant to fetch the book he had bought for Kaoru from the car.

* * *

"Tomoe-koishii?" 

Tomoe glanced up from the angelic sleeping face of Kenji to see her husband sit down next to her on their vast bed. She smiled softly and kissed him gently on the cheek.

"You dropped off Hiko-san?" asked Tomoe softly, gracefully rising from the bed to set Kenji in his crib before collapsing onto the bed again. Kenshin wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly in place as he lowered them onto the bed until they were lying down, facing each other.

"Hai koishii" replied Kenshin softly. "Koishii? Can I ask you something?"

"What?" asked Tomoe.

"Are you comfortable training with Kaoru-dono?"

Tomoe sighed and closed her eyes slowly. "Anata" she whispered. "We were made training partners so that we could learn to be comfortable around each other. It doesn't matter whether I am comfortable or not, I just need to learn to get along with Kaoru-chan."

"There really is nothing to worry about with Kaoru-dono" assured Kenshin. "I don't really understand why you two have differences. I would've figured that you two would've gotten along quite well."

"It's not that simple anata" whispered Tomoe.

_How can I tell him…tell him that the young girl he considered his closest friend was in love with him…that I was the one who ruined her dreams…_

_I still remember her pain that day…_

_**Tomoe stepped into the Aoiya, a wide smile on her face at the thought of surprising her fiancé and her little brother. However, her smile grew wider as she thought of the letter Kenshin had sent her – he was announcing that they were to be married the moment she came, although he had no clue that she was to arrive today. Her happiness knew no bounds, and it was all she could do to not kick open that door in excitement.**_

_**She slowly opened the door to see Kenshin and aprettygirl with long black hairin a ponytail drinking tea and laughing. She quietly crept behind Kenshin, and as thegirl glanced up to meet her face, Tomoe placed a finger to her lips. Tomoe quickly covered Kenshin's eyes with her hands.**_

_**"Guess who anata?" she whispered softly. Almost at the speed of light, Kenshin jumped up and turned, his eyes wide and sparkling with happiness, a huge smile on his face.**_

_**"Koishii!" he yelled before embracing her tightly. She glanced up at him, her eyes shining with tears of happiness.**_

_**"Who is this Kenshin?" asked the brunette curiously. Tomoe peered at thegirl and saw pure shock and surprise in her eyes.**_

_**"This is Yukishiro Tomoe, Enishi's older sister" said Kenshin with a smile. "Tomoe, this is Kamiya Kaoru, a student of mine, and a very good friend too."**_

_**"Nice to meet you" said Tomoe with a smile. **_

_**"Nice to meet you too" replied Kaoru, a smile surfacing her face as well, although the shock had not fully disappeared from her eyes.**_

**_"Anata, perhaps I should leave you and Kaoru to-", suddenly, a group of people burst into the room, and she was met with Enishi, Sanosuke, Okita, Tokio, Saitou, Hiko, Okina, and anothergirl with long black hair (which she would later find out was Megumi)._**

_**"Oneesan!" yelled out Enishi, running to Tomoe and embracing her tightly.**_

_**"Enishi, how have you been?" asked Tomoe excitedly, hugging her little brother. "Oh, I've missed you so much!"**_

**_After everyone had either greeted or introduced themselves to Tomoe, Kenshin cleared his throat and stood up._**

_**"Everyone, I have an announcement to make, de gozaru…" he glanced at Tomoe with a meaningful look, and she nodded gently.**_

_**"For six years, Tomoe and I have been engaged, and for six years, we have been separated…Now that she has returned, I wish to announce that we are going to be married within two months!"**_

_**Tokio shrieked with joy before jumping up to hug Tomoe tightly. Saitou simply congratulated Kenshin while trying to find a cigarette, while Hiko and Okina beat the life out of Kenshin by clapping him on the back for congratulations. Sanosuke and Okita were cheering in the background. As Tokio hugged Tomoe, Tomoe glanced at Kaoru, Megumi, and Enishi, and was suddenly shocked by what she saw.**_

**_Enishi's face was etched into intense dislike (although Tomoe had anticipated this, her brother never really liked Kenshin). However, Tomoe suddenly saw Megumi's sympathetic face and glanced over to see Kaoru's eyes full of pain, of hurt, and of broken dreams._**

_**And for the first time that day, she realized that Kaoru had truly loved Kenshin…**_

"Koishii? Daijoubu?"

Tomoe nodded hurriedly, trying to assure Kenshin that she was indeed okay. "Hai anata" she said quickly. "I was just thinking about Kaoru's and my situation, but I think we'll be able to handle it anata."

Kenji suddenly began to wail, and Tomoe was about to rise when Kenshin pushed her down again.

"Rest koishii, I'll take care of him" said Kenshin with a smile. Tomoe smiled at him gratefully as he rose from the bed and walked towards the crib.

_Anata…I'll smile in front of Kaoru for you…and I know Kaoru will smile in front of me for you, but whether we will ever overcome our differences…of that I shall never be certain…_

"Ummm…koishii?" whispered Kenshin.

"Hai anata?" asked Tomoe confusedly.

"Well…you see…Kenji is hungry, that he is…and I can't really feed him, that…I…can't…" Kenshin trailed off, his face turning red. Tomoe simply laughed, staring at her blushing husband before rising to care for Kenji.

* * *

Enishi stared at the traffic ahead of him, wondering why he was always stuck in traffic on the days that his car was actually peaceful. Although that was only due to the fact that Megumi and Enishi had lifted a moaning Sanosuke into a hospital bed in Megumi's wing of the hospital. Megumi offered to take care of Sanosuke, so Enishi immediately washed his hands from this matter and immediately drove off. 

Now, he couldn't fathom why he had been in such a rush to enter congested roads. However, the turn lane next to his road was empty.

_I suppose I could turn and wait till the traffic dies down before going to the Shirobeko…anyways, it doesn't open for another two hours, so I'm good. I can just walk around in this area…_

Enishi quickly entered the turning lane (receiving many offensive and profane comments from nearby drivers) and was relieved of the congested roads. His eyes fell on the Akabeko, and he suddenly realized that a delicious meal would be heaven.

_And Kaoru works here…I could see her again!_

With a grin, Enishi pulled into the Akabeko parking lot.

* * *

"Shinomori-san!" 

Aoshi was tempted to grin smugly as he heard Kaoru growl from behind him, but his face was passive as he turned to meet Kaoru's gaze.

"Yes Kamiya, what is it?" he asked, calmly eating his sukiyaki as he watched her fume.

"Why on earth would I want a book titled _The Dangers Of Romance: Why You Should Never Fall In Love_?" asked Kaoru angrily.

"If it makes you feel any better, that Sagara girl was the one who gave it to me" said Aoshi with a shrug, completely ignoring Kaoru's question.

"Miyana's not an ice-block like you!" shrieked Kaoru. "She's probably a wonderful person, and I'm sure she doesn't believe that romance is nothing but lies and treachery!"

"Wow, the restaurant is loud today."

Kaoru and Aoshi turned to see Enishi leaning in the doorway with a grin. A huge grin illuminated her face as she ran to Enishi, embracing him tightly for rescuing her from the ice-block that was Aoshi. Enishi looked down in surprise, but a smile surfaced on his face.

_I have no clue why she's hugging me, but hey, I'm not going to resist!_

"Enishi! I thought you were going to the bar!" exclaimed Kaoru, pulling away from the secretly pleased man. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, the streets are too crowded, so I decided to hang out at the Akabeko with you until the traffic dies out. Anyways, I don't have to open the Shirobeko for another two hours, so why not have a good lunch in that much time?" said Enishi with a smile. "You seem awfully glad to see me though."

"Shinomori-san is insufferable" muttered Kaoru angrily. Enishi laughed, eliciting a glare from Aoshi.

"Sorry Aoshi, but I have to admit, you can be a bit cold sometimes" said Enishi with a shrug. "Anyways, how have you two managed to torture each other?"

"Miyana gave him some book on the dangers of romance or something like that!" muttered Kaoru. "And he thought it would be fun to give it to me so that he could prove that he's right and I'm wrong about love!"

"Why on Earth would Miyana know about a book like that?" asked Enishi incredulously. "She's a bit of a romantic herself; I wouldn't think that she would actually know about a book like that."

"She works in a bookstore" replied Aoshi evenly. "And Kamiya, you must be an awful waitress. Yukishiro's been here for five minutes, and you still haven't asked him what he would like to eat."

Kaoru shot a deathly glare towards Aoshi before turning to Enishi. "Enishi, I'm sorry, what would you like?"

"I'm in the mood for some fried fish" said Enishi with a smile. Kaoru grinned at him, unknowingly catching Aoshi's eyes as she smiled.

"One order of fish, right up!" exclaimed Kaoru, turning rapidly on her skates. However, the sudden turn caused her to lose her balance, and she promptly began to fall over…

Straight into Enishi's arms.

"Whoa, you still haven't gotten a hang of those skates?" asked Enishi with a chuckle. "And I spent three hours trying to teach you! Did I waste those perilous, deathly hours?"

"They weren't perilous!" said Kaoru in mock anger.

"Kaoru, you were holding on to me so tight, I'm surprised you didn't strangle me!"

"I'm sorry then!" said Kaoru, laughing as she tried to skate forward only to lose her balance once again and topple into Enishi.

"I'm sorry again!" she cried out. Enishi grinned.

"Alright, I'm going to help you to the kitchen" he said with a laugh. "Hold on tight!"

Kaoru clutched his arm as he dragged her towards the kitchen.

"You're strangling me! Oh, the pain!" cried out Enishi's voice, a hint of teasing hidden under the feigned pained yells.

"Mou! Enishi, stop teasing me! I'm really scared I might fall!" shrieked Kaoru, her voice cracking as laughter bubbled up within her.

Unknown to both of them, Aoshi had been watching them for the past few minutes, and his cold blue eyes were suddenly on fire.

_That idiot Yukishiro…Kamiya's hanging all over him…the bastard…_

_Wait, why am I suddenly harboring an animosity towards Yukishiro because of Kamiya?_

_This has got to be Kamiya's fault…but…she has a pretty smile, and a cute laugh…both of which are never directed towards me…why do I suddenly feel sad?_

_What's wrong with me today? Perhaps there really was a shot of sake in that tea of mine…_

_

* * *

_

**Was there a shot of sake in Aoshi's tea? No...unfortunately...**

**Anyways, I never really told you readers about anybody's ages...I'll post that next time.**

**Alright, so in the next chapter, Okita and Kaya visit two sets of parents, another glimpse at a Soujirou Misao date, a Megumi and Sano moment in the hospital,and find out what happens when Aoshi decides to visit Enishi at the Shirobeko!**

**PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW! And also, I'm still looking for an editor!**

**Ja ne for today, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and thank you so much for 50 reviews!**


	13. Revealing Emotions And Secrets

**Disclaimer – I'm just sitting in my room, with a needle in my hand, waiting in the tomb, of some old dying man, to tell me that I own Rurouni Kenshin! **

**Aoshi – Don't think that singing about ownership amidst a different song will allow you to gain ownership of Rurouni Kenshin. **

**Hitoezakura – Who's going to stop me? **

**Rurouni Kenshin Cast – We shall! **

**Fruits Basket Cast – Can we help? **

**Alucard – Me first, me first! **

**Hitoezakura – For the love of God! Isn't this a Rurouni Kenshin fiction?  
Everyone – Yes! **

**Hitoezakura – Then what is everyone doing here? All of you who aren't from Rurouni Kenshin, out! **

**(Suddenly, a big explosion rings out and everyone turns to a sheepish Alucard, who stands amidst the ruins) **

**Alucard – My guns went off in my coat… **

**Hitoezakura – I'm going to kill you all now… **

**Hitoezakura – I don't own Rurouni Kenshin, the property of Nohiburo Watsuki, nor do I own the song 'Needles' by System of a Down. Nor do I own any of the Fruits Basket cast, or Alucard of Hellsing (perhaps Seras or Walter or Integra should make an appearance sometime soon…) **

**Alright, I really wanted to dedicate a chapter to the training sessions, and I wanted it to be the next chapter, so this chapter is going to be loooong because it covers so much! **

**I feel a bit sad though…I really don't express that much from Tokio's point of view huh? Perhaps I should concentrate on that in a future chapter! **

**Anyways, I am going to become extremely furious soon. Many of you have marked this story as a favorite or as a story alert, and some of you have not sent me a single review. Once again, I really want you to send a review and provide me feedback and/or ideas! I want to hear from readers, and I don't think I can if you don't review! **

**Anyways, I actually think the updating is going to slow down drastically, because my parents are really applying pressure about school. In addition to that, I have a big science project, and on top of all that, I have to do community service for an organization. And of course, now is the time my mom tells me that there is a job opening for me at her office, so just a heads up for all you devoted readers! **

**OK reviewer responses! **

**WhiteRabbit5 – You've come back! (I've missed reading your reviews; they always had feedback, and were fun to read). Yes, they do lead tangled lives, because I am a mastermind at creating the weirdest lives possible. I just never get around to actually completing the stories…(grins sheepishly). Yes, Kaoru's not a brunette (so many reviewers asked why I wrote brunette; I can't believe I overlooked such a huge mistake). About Soujirou…that remains a secret! The Tomoe-Kaoru past was there to clear things up a bit, explain how Tomoe knows how dear Kenshin is to Kaoru, because I always see Tomoe as perceptive…I don't know why, I just do. Enishi and Kaoru…shall we just call it a platonic bond? Maybe, maybe not… **

**Yes I know Aoshi's thoughts were far from realistic, but I just thought it added a cute touch… **

**Thanks for reviewing, and please do continue to review! **

**Crewel – Thank you so much! I feel so bad that I can't write more SM moments for you, because you enjoy them so much, but I'll always try to squeeze them in! And if it's of any comfort, there will be a lot more SM moments in the future! Please keep reading and reviewing, because I love reading your reviews! **

**Blooded wyngs – Yes, Aoshi does like to throw books…perhaps that's why he goes to the bookstore so often…heehee! I'm pretty sure Kaoru's cooking got better, but one of my favorite parts is when Sanosuke asks Kenshin how he can eat the food Kaoru makes. Kenshin says it gets better each time he eats it, and Sanosuke asks if that's similar to an acquired taste. That's where I got the line from (plus, Sano always complains about Kaoru's food, so it just seemed natural). I know what you mean about Soujirou...but don't feel too bad for Misao just yet! Kaoru and Megumi are not brunettes (my mistake sorry!), and I'm glad you love love-triangles! Keep reviewing please, and thanks so much for the review! **

**Pinoykengumi7 – New reviewer, yay! You gave me such a shock when I went to my hotmail inbox to see 7-8 new messages, all reviews! It was a good shock too! I hope you've realized by now that my weekly update basis schedule has gone to the dogs…I'm now in year 12, by the way (I get to graduate in 2006!). Answering some of your questions, yes, it does get hard to portray Aoshi, because he and Kaoru are so different, and I relate to Kaoru far more than Aoshi. I would love to review your stories, but my darn teachers aren't easing up on me! Think of it as a rain check, okay? Who did Miyana fall in love with? I hope you aren't waiting too impatiently, because according to whatever plans I have so far, that won't be revealed for a looooooooooooooong time! As for editing, I would love to have a new editor, so can I email future chapters to you before posting them (mind you, it'll be slow, but I hope you don't mind too much!)? Thanks for reviewing, and I hope to see more of you in the future! **

**Ardenilia – Better late than never, so don't worry! Heehee, poor Aoshi, all jealous while Enishi and Kaoru bond. To answer your question about a AKE love triangle, well to some extent, it is a love triangle, but towards the middle/end, I believe it focuses more on Aoshi and Kaoru (thus an AK fic). What will happen to Enishi? You'll find out! Thanks for reviewing, and please continue to review! **

**Funny note – do you realize that as I go further into the story, the chapters get longer? I went from a one-page prologue to three-page chapters, then four, then five, then six, then ten, then thirteen, and finally this one, which hit 22! I assure you, the chapters won't get any longer (if anything, they'll get shorter! I can't keep writing 22 page chapters!). This is also the story with the highest page count! So far, the story altogether has hit 93 pages, my longest story yet!**

TO ALL OF YOU WHO READ AND DO NOT REVIEW - Please, I really want to hear from you, so please review! It would mean so much to me, and I'd feel so loved if you sent me reviews!

**Ok, I'm shutting up now! Have fun reading this chapter!

* * *

**

HOW IS THIS LOVE?

"Okita-kun, what did you want to speak to us about?" asked Tokio softly, pouring cups of tea for Okita, Kaya, Saitou, and her. She quickly wrapped her hair into a bun before lifting the tray and placing a cup in front of each person.

Okita grinned, calmly waiting until Tokio and Saitou had both lifted their cups to take a sip. No sooner had the hot liquid entered their mouths did he decide to reveal his secret.

"Kaya and I are engaged!" he exclaimed.

CRASH!

Two teacups lay shattered on the floor, tea pooling around Tokio and Saitou's feet. Kaya and Okita glanced at each other for a brief moment before bursting out into laughter, staring at the two frozen adults.

"You two are engaged?" asked Saitou incredulously.

"Oh my gosh!" exclaimed Tokio softly, a grin spreading across her face as she leapt up to hug both Okita and Kaya. "When did this happen?"

"Last night, I proposed to Kaya" replied Okita with a grin, glancing at Kaya, who was smiling just as widely as Okita. "Then I met her family, and we received Ryoko-san's blessings!"

"You do know that this might jeopardize your future dreams Kaya?" asked Saitou quietly. "I know that Okita wants to become a policeman, but you Kaya, you wanted to study abroad."

"I understand that Saitou-san" replied Kaya with a smile. "But ever since I fell in love with Soushi, he's become number one on my list. Also, Soushi assured me that marriage will not be an issue for a little while."

"Then I agree to this relationship" replied Saitou with a smile. "Kaya, you and Okita make a very good match."

Kaya and Okita both grinned, but Okita's grin slowly dissipated as he cleared his throat to reveal yet another issue.

"There is one more thing" whispered Okita, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.

"What is that?" asked Saitou.

"Kaya and I would like to meet Hishimoto Shirojo and his wife" replied Okita quietly.

The room elapsed into silence as the ticking of the clock became the only sound emanating from the room.

* * *

"So Misao-san, what courses are you interested in?" asked Soujirou with a smile.

"Sou-chan, don't mention courses!" groaned Misao. "We have two weeks of summer still remaining! I don't want to hear a thing about school until the very last minute!"

_I don't need to hear about school right now! Gramps, Omasu, Okon, Shiro, and Kuro can't stop pestering me about it! Thank Kami that all of them are going to be out for the whole night! I won't have to deal with them today!_

Soujirou laughed as he stirred the milkshake that sat in front of him with his straw. "Alright Misao-san, I won't mention a thing about school! Let's talk about something else!"

"You know, I just realized" said Misao thoughtfully, swirling her cherry sauce into her vanilla cream milkshake, creating a frightfully pink concoction. "I don't know a thing about you or your family. I mean, I want to know about the guy I danced with in the rain that one day!"

"I lost my parents when I was a child" replied Soujirou quietly, his smile never leaving his face. "They died when I was ten. After their death, a man took me in and taught me everything I needed to learn about this world. When I turned eighteen, I left him and began to pursue an education."

"You find this all amusing?" asked Misao softly.

"Why do you ask?" asked Soujirou in surprise, the smile faltering slightly.

"Because you were smiling the whole time" whispered Misao. "And come to think of it, I've never seen you without that smile on your face…"

"Misao-san, you are thinking too deeply about this, that you-"

Misao leaned over and kissed Soujirou gently on the lips, cutting off his statement, moving too slowly to catch him off guard, but effectively cutting him off none the less. Her elbows rested against the cool surface of the table, propping her face up. His hands slowly crept towards her head, and upon reaching, he gently stroked her head before she pulled away, her eyes glittering with an emotion he had never seen before.

"Sou-chan, you made a childhood fairytale of mine of come true" whispered Misao. "I will make sure that your emotions return to you. I will not give up until that happens!"

She quickly set down a few bills on the table, paying for the now sticky pink mess of a milkshake, before running away from the table. Soujirou simply stared at the wadded bills and her pink milkshake before glancing at her empty seat.

"Misao-san" he whispered, his smile suddenly too wide, so wide that sanity seemed to escape him. "By falling in love with me, you shall be making my greatest wish come true."

_But something troubles me…what was that emotion in your eyes…I've never seen it before…What was it?

* * *

_

"So, you are coming at eight tonight, right?"

Kaoru turned around to see Enishi leaning against the wall, grinning at her. She smiled back, pushing back a tendril of long black hair before answering.

"Of course I'm coming Enishi!" she replied. "I haven't been to the Shirobeko for so long, and I'd love to spend some time with you! It feels as though lately we haven't been seeing each other that much lately!"

Enishi smiled, but his eyes had darkened ever so slightly behind those shades of his.

_Kaoru…you spent so much time moping over that bastard Himura…you deserve someone better than that fool! Could you possibly give me a chance? _

_Miyana said it didn't hurt to try, but does she really understand the pains of heartbreak…does she really know how it is to wait for someone to like you, and not have that feeling returned?_

"You should invite Aoshi-san too!" piped up Tae from behind them, startling the two so badly that they both jumped a mile.

"Tae, you can really be scary when you want to be…" muttered Enishi, holding a hand to his head.

"Aoshi-san?" asked Kaoru weakly, trying her best not to show her distaste towards this idea. "Really? At a bar? With his tolerance?"

"Kaoru-chan, you don't have much of a tolerance level either" replied Tae with a giggle. "I still remember that one time you and Sanosuke decided to have a drinking contest, and you both became so drunk that you ran out and climbed a very high tree, insisting that you were going to learn how to fly. Oh, Ken-san and Megumi-chan practically died of fright and anger!"

"Mou! Tae-san, stop reminding me!" shrieked Kaoru. Enishi meanwhile, was leaning against the wall, trembling with hysterical laughter.

"Oh god, I almost forgot about that!" he managed to choke out before going into a fresh torrent of laughter.

"Baka! Stop laughing at me!" yelled Kaoru angrily, tossing forks at Enishi, who managed to dodge them despite his hysterical state of laughter.

Meanwhile, the three of them had not realized that Aoshi had been listening to the whole conversation quite intently.

_Hmmm…Kamiya-san has very little tolerance as well…perhaps I can use this information to my advantage!_

Aoshi quietly drained his cup of tea and set it down.

"Yukishiro, the Shirobeko is still in the same location, is it not?" asked Aoshi calmly.

"Yeah, why do you ask?" asked Enishi curiously.

"Perhaps I should drop by" replied Aoshi, standing up after placing some bills on the counter. "I have nothing better to do this evening, and I need more time to browse the bookstore than just an evening, so I might as well come." He began to walk away, stopping at the door only to hear Enishi's answer.

"Then come along" said Enishi with a shrug.

_As long as you don't ruin this evening, I don't mind…_

"What?" whispered Kaoru angrily, jabbing Enishi in the side with a painful elbow just as the door shut behind Aoshi. Enishi hissed slightly with agony.

"Kaoru, sometimes, you can be incredibly lethal!" growled Enishi. "And the bar's so full of people, we won't even notice him!"

"When you put it that way…" Kaoru trailed off as Aoshi disappeared into his car. "I just can't stand that man!"

Outside, any passerby would've heard Aoshi sneeze at that exact moment.

* * *

"You want to visit the Hishimoto Estate?" asked Saitou darkly. "And why?"

"They need to hear about this engagement from my mouth" replied Okita simply. "And Kaya needs to know something about my family."

"You and I need to talk" muttered Saitou, rising from his seat, patting his pockets to ensure that he had his cigarettes before disappearing onto the porch, impatiently waiting for Okita to follow. Okita sighed and rose from his chair to join Saitou. Tokio sighed softly and sat down next to Kaya.

"Kaya-chan, why do you want to see Okita-kun's family?" asked Tokio gently.

Kaya looked up in surprise, causing Tokio to smile ever so slightly.

"I know that Okita-kun tends to dislike his family greatly, and after six years, he is actually announcing that he is going to meet them" said Tokio softly. "I figured you had something to do with those plans, am I right?"

"Tokio-san…if Soushi never tells his parents about the engagement…don't you think he will regret that decision for his entire life?" asked Kaya quietly.

"I actually think that you're doing the right thing" said Tokio calmly, patting Kaya's hand. "However, Okita-kun's parents aren't kind unless your status is higher or equal to than theirs. You must understand that they will not hesitate to judge or insult you, so please do not take their words too seriously."

"I understand" replied Kaya softly. "But Soushi needs to do this…he needs to see them just once more, to remove the burden from his chest."

* * *

"So why does Kaya want to go to the Hishimoto Estate?" asked Saitou bluntly.

"How did you know that Kaya was the one who wanted to go?" asked Okita.

Saitou snorted slightly. "Okita, the day you came here, you were so full of hatred, I wouldn't have been surprised if you actually tried to kill your parents! Why would you want to meet them now?"

"Kaya says that if I don't talk to them now, I'll regret it in the future" replied Okita.

"Sometimes, women are a bit sentimental" muttered Saitou, smoking his cigarette. "However, I trust Kaya's judgment most of the times, so perhaps I should trust her intentions now as well. You two go and tell your parents, but make sure to protect Kaya."

_Personally Saitou-san, I wouldn't have Kaya go…but like you said, Kaya's judgments are often correct, and perhaps I should take her word on this too…_

_But if they insult her…I will never go to that place again! I will not tolerate insults toward her! She doesn't deserve it!_

Okita leaned against the wall and held out his hand, asking for a cigarette, which Saitou neatly pulled out, lit, and offered to Okita. Okita immediately took a long drag and sighed; the intoxicating smoke just eased him at times.

"Hajime…"

Both Okita and Saitou turned around to see a very furious Tokio, her voice small and quiet, but in the dim silence, it sounded loud and angry.

"Yes Tokio?" asked Saitou, hiding the cigarette behind his back.

"How many cigarettes have you had today?"

"Just the one!" insisted Saitou, holding up the cigarette he was currently smoking.

"Then how come I saw two boxes in the trash today, when just yesterday I emptied the trash?" asked Tokio icily, waving the two boxes in front of his face.

"Soushi, we should leave" whispered Kaya with a giggle. "Saitou-san's really angered Tokio-san."

"Oh no" replied Okita with a wide grin. "This is fun…"

Saitou shot a glare at the two of them before Tokio lost it.

"SAITOU HAJIME! HOW COULD YOU SMOKE TWO BOXES! YOU PROMISED ME ONE BOX A WEEK! ONE BOX!"

Okita and Kaya collapsed into laughter as Tokio towered over Saitou, brandishing the two boxes like weapons, but another fierce glare from Saitou immediately made them decide that perhaps they should leave.

* * *

Sanosuke's eyes opened blearily to see the bare, dull walls of a hospital greet him. He groaned, trying to slide off the bed, when a firm hand suddenly gripped his shoulder tightly.

"Baka tori" admonished Megumi. "Don't even think about leaving right now. I'm trying to make sure Enishi didn't break any of your bones. He was furious about your incessant rhyming, and he just seemed to lose control."

"Weren't you beating me up too?" muttered Sanosuke accusingly.

"I have the right to!" insisted Megumi. "I'm your girlfriend! I need some way to tower over you!"

"So much for our date, huh Kitsune?" said Sanosuke with a shrug.

"What do you mean?" asked Megumi, finishing her check up and putting her equipment away.

"Well, since I'm in this stupid bed, I can't really take you out on a date" said Sanosuke with a confused look.

"You're perfectly fine according to my checkup. Multiple bruises, but you've never abandoned anything just because of bruises. You had to break your leg if you wanted to relax" replied Megumi with a smile. "We could go on our date if we wanted to."

"All right!" yelled Sanosuke. "We have to hurry and steal Enishi's car!"

"I thought Enishi took his keys away from you!" exclaimed Megumi.

"Haha, Yahiko taught me a few pick-pocketing skills, and I managed to steal the keys again!" replied Sanosuke triumphantly. "Don't use it against Jou-chan…she beat Yahiko and I up the last time we tried…"

"What were you trying to steal from Kaoru?" asked Megumi curiously.

"Just some money" replied Sanosuke. "I was running low that day."

"Baka tori" said Megumi with a laugh. "You really know how to make me laugh!"

"So, are we still on for that date?" asked Sanosuke with a grin.

"Oh yes tori-atama" replied Megumi with a smile. "We are definitely still having that date!"

* * *

Aoshi drove to the Aoiya, thoughts spinning through his head as he skillfully maneuvered through the traffic on the roads.

_Kamiya and Yukishiro…a couple? That would be like someone insisting that Kaya and I are a couple, it's just as absurd…Perhaps that is why their relationship bothers me so – because there are traces of love where there should only be friendship…_

_Perhaps I should receive a second opinion on this couple…_

Aoshi immediately pulled over in front of the bookstore and locked the car behind him before pushing open the door to the bookstore.

"Ohayo gozaima…Shinomori-san, what are you doing here?" asked Miyana in surprise. "You came in earlier, didn't you?"

"Yes" replied Aoshi evenly. "I came to ask you about something."

"Alright, what do you want to ask me Shinomori-san?" inquired Miyana curiously, lifting a box of books and carrying them towards the end of the shelves.

"Are Kamiya and Yukishiro a good couple?"

Miyana sighed and eased the box to the floor before turning to speak to Aoshi.

"Shinomori-san, two people can only be a couple if both are willing to make a relationship work out" replied Miyana softly. "A third person could never know unless one of the two confided in him or her."

"Just answer the question" muttered Aoshi. "Do you think they would make a good couple?"

"In a way, yes" answered Miyana simply, turning to shelve the books that lay by her feet.

"Why do you say that?" asked Aoshi, lifting out a few of the books in order to assist her.

"Shinomori-san, the foundation of love is friendship" replied Miyana, placing the books on the shelves neatly, making sure the spines were aligned. "Without friendship, can there really be love? Friendship instigates a kind of trust between people, and it is that trust and friendship that develops into love."

"So you cannot have friendship without falling in love?" inquired Aoshi with a raised eyebrow.

"Did I say that Shinomori-san?" asked Miyana. "I said friendship could become love. Not all friendships develop that way though. It depends on the two people in question."

"But could Yukishiro and Kamiya fall in love?"

Miyana sighed softly as she reached into the box for the last few books. "Shinomori-san, you've worked side by side with Hitomi-san for four years. You're acting in a romantic movie together. Have you two ever fallen in love with each other?"

"No, we're just friends" replied Aoshi evenly.

"Enishi-san and Kamiya-san share the same friendship, but their relationship can go either way. Either it will remain platonic, or it can develop into love" said Miyana softly. "I really have no way to tell Shinomori-san."

"Alright" muttered Aoshi quietly, turning around to leave.

"But Shinomori-san, since when have you began to talk about love and Kamiya-san?" asked Miyana, her voice slightly mischievous.

Aoshi turned around and left without answering the question. Miyana simply sighed and turned to throw the empty box back into storage.

_Enishi-san…you need to confess to Kamiya-san sometime soon…otherwise Shinomori-san might enter the whole picture, and you may never receive the chance that you have waited for four years to receive…

* * *

_

"Shinjite ii yo yume wa yattekuru, kimi no tame dake ni, naitemo ii yo donna kanashimimo, tsubasa ni kawaru no sa sono mune de!" sang Kaoru softly as Enishi parked his car in the Shirobeko parking lot.

"Kaoru, I still can't believe what an awesome singer you are. You sang 'Namida Wa Shiiteru' like you wrote it yourself!" said Enishi with a grin, pulling his keys out of the ignition, thus turning off the radio and jolting Kaoru out of her reverie.

"Thanks Enishi, but I'll need a lot more training to become an actual singer" said Kaoru wistfully. "It's my dream to become a singer, but lately, that dream just seems to be drifting out of my reach."

"Don't worry Kaoru, I'm sure you'll make it!" replied Enishi with a grin.

"You two are fairly slow."

Both Kaoru and Enishi looked up from each other to see Aoshi waiting for them at the door of the Shirobeko.

"Hey Aoshi" said Enishi with a wave. "Sorry about being late. Kaoru and I were just having an interesting conversation!"

"Yet somehow, even though I had a conversation, drove back home, and then walked back her, I came earlier?" asked Aoshi incredulously.

"Who on Earth did you have a conversation with?" asked Kaoru curiously. "Seeing as everyone I know of is with someone else."

"I had a conversation with Miyana, if you need to know" replied Aoshi quietly.

"Miyana?" asked Enishi in surprise.

_And I thought I was the only one who talked to her…how can Aoshi suddenly start talking to her?_

_Wait, what am I saying? Miyana can talk to anyone she wants to! What was wrong with my mind a few seconds ago?_

"Yes, is that so surprising?" asked Aoshi.

"When it comes to you Shinomori-san, too many things can become surprising" replied Kaoru dryly.

"Alright, before you two erupt into an argument, we should all go inside!" exclaimed Enishi suddenly, effectively interrupting Aoshi's comeback and pushing open the doors to the Shirobeko.

* * *

"You sure Enishi already went inside?" whispered Sanosuke uncertainly, hiding in a tree as Megumi peered at the Shirobeko from behind the bushes that concealed her.

"Yes rooster, Enishi's gone inside!" replied Megumi, watching the doors swing shut as Aoshi entered the Shirobeko after Kaoru and Enishi. "See, he even turned on the neon lights outside of the Shirobeko! Can we just grab the car now?"

"We need to be slightly discreet!" muttered Sanosuke. "Enishi will kill me if he realizes I still have his keys!"

"Alright, but leave him a note at least!" whispered Megumi. "Otherwise, he'll begin to think someone stole his car!"

"Make a dash for it then!" yelled Sanosuke, jumping down from the tree and grabbing her hand, pulling her towards the car. He quickly scribbled a note and tacked it onto the pole that stood in front of the car before backing out of the parking lot and driving off with Megumi in tow.

* * *

"Misao-san!"

Misao turned around to see Soujirou following her, waving for her to stop.

"Sou-chan, drop the honorifics!" yelled Misao angrily. "We're dating! You don't have to be so respectful!"

"Gomen nasai Misao-san!" cried out Soujirou.

"MISAO! NOT MISAO-SAN!" yelled Misao angrily.

"Gomen Misao!" said Soujirou pleadingly.

"That's better!" replied Misao with a grin. "Now, why are you following me?"

"Misao, you said you would return my emotions to me" replied Soujirou. "But I just wanted to tell you that the possibility of that happening is zero. I will never regain those emotions. My face will always be graced with an eternal smile."

"Is that true Sou-chan?" asked Misao softly. "You really show no emotions?"

"I'm sorry Misao, but that's the truth" replied Soujirou. "I can understand if you don't want to see me again." He turned around when Misao's voice suddenly stopped him in tracks.

"I don't believe you."

"Excuse me?" asked Soujirou, the smile still on his face, almost as if he were mocking Misao. Misao immediately stepped up to him.

"I said, I don't believe you" repeated Misao. "You say you can't feel emotions, but you can't tell me that no one can feel the power of love, the antipathy of anger, the joy of friendship, the sorrow of melancholy! No one can be completely emotionless!"

"I'm sorry Misao, but in all honesty, I don't feel angry or sad or serious that often" replied Soujirou with a grin. "My answers are probably disappointing, and we'll probably never see each other again, so perhaps I should say goodbye now."

Just before Soujirou could turn around, Misao wrapped her arms around him and kissed him deeply, catching him completely off guard. His eyes widened in shock and surprise as Misao pulled away. She gazed deep into his eyes and suddenly smiled.

"It's a start" whispered Misao. "That haunting smile still remains on your face, but I can see the shock and surprise in your eyes. I will return all your emotions to you Soujirou, and that's a promise!"

Misao waved goodbye as she quickly boarded the just-arrived bus, and continued to wave as the bus drove ahead, leaving a floored Soujirou on the road.

_How did that happen? How did she penetrate through my smile?_

_How could I suddenly drop my smiling disguise in front of a teenage girl?

* * *

_

The Shirobeko filled with people as soon as Enishi opened the doors, pressuring him to remain behind the counters most of the time, instead of spending time with Kaoru, like he wished. However, Kaoru decided that sitting at the counter near Enishi was a great way to talk. She chatted with Enishi as she drank a delicious fruit drink that contained absolutely no alcohol whatsoever.

"Wow, the business is really booming today!" said Kaoru with a grin. "Sae-san's going to be really happy with you and Sanosuke! You pulled in a lot of customers!"

"Yeah" replied Enishi with a smile. "I can't wait for Sae to come back from Nagasaki though. She must be itching to see how the Shirobeko did in her absence."

"Of course she would, she's the owner!" exclaimed Kaoru with a laugh. "And she's just like her twin Tae! They have that same businesswoman streak in their nature!"

Aoshi, in the meantime, remained seated at the counter as well, though he seldom spoke. Instead, his mind mulled over the conversation he and Miyana had had.

_"Either it will remain platonic, or it can develop into love..."_

_How can friendship become love? How can friendship become betrayal? I share a friendship with Kaya, and I treasure it greatly, but I fell in love with that woman, and my whole life was destroyed…_

_How can friendship possibly be the root for such an evil emotion?_

Meanwhile, Kaoru was eying Aoshi silently, and suddenly motioned for Enishi to lean closer.

"You know, I've been thinking about Shinomori-san and Miyana-san, and in all honesty, don't you think they would make a good couple?" whispered Kaoru softly.

Enishi fell silent for a moment.

_Miyana is strong, her emotions are powerful, but is she really the one who can break Aoshi?_

_Why do I feel like she isn't the one meant for him?_

"I don't know" answered Enishi honestly. "That's something that time will determine I suppose."

"I guess so" said Kaoru with a shrug, leaning back on her stool. "I guess love can never be rushed, huh?"

"Well, there's always love at first sight" replied Enishi with a grin. "Isn't that slightly rushed?"

"That's different" answered Kaoru. "In that kind of love, people with faith and trust always succeed in finding their life partner. I wouldn't call it rushed, I would just call it an early love."

"When you fall in love at first sight, there is always an unhappy ending" chimed Aoshi, sipping the tea that he had ordered.

"And how on earth do you know that Shinomori-san? You have never even given love a chance!" retorted Kaoru.

_Kamiya…I gave love a chance…all those years ago, I gave it a chance…only to end up betrayed and depressed…_

_Do you really think love is cheerful if it brings betrayal and depression?_

"Have you ever fallen in love with the wrong person Kamiya?" asked Aoshi quietly. "You talk about love like it is your life, yet I don't see any boyfriends in your life! What's that about Kamiya? You've never experienced love in your life, so what right do you have to talk?"

Aoshi quickly rose from his seat and made his way to the end of the room, where the lavatories were located, completely missing Kaoru's expression of fury, pain, and anger.

_How dare you say that Shinomori-san! I was raised in a household of love, I have friends who I love, and who love me, I loved a wonderful man! How can you say I have never experienced love in my life! I know what love is, I have felt it, but I fell in love with someone I could never have in the first place…_

_You have no right to imply that I'm a hypocrite!_

In that much time, Enishi had disappeared to prepare someone's order, but he had left a whole bottle of strong vodka on the counter. Out of sheer fury, Kaoru immediately grabbed the bottle and poured as much vodka as she could into the tea Aoshi had been sipping but had not finished.

_Take that I-have-no-tolerance Shinomori-san!_

She immediately capped the bottle and placed it back on the counter. Just as she took another sip of her drink, Aoshi reappeared, and Kaoru's fury ignited once again.

"Shinomori-san! How dare you call me a hypocrite!" yelled Kaoru angrily. "I don't care how high and mighty you might think you are, but you have no right to assume that I have never fallen in love! I have loved, and I will continue to fall in love! But you have no right to call me a liar and a hypocrite! The only liar here is you! Love is a wonderful emotion, and you have no right to berate it so!"

She stalked off in anger, unaware that Aoshi's icy eyes burned with cold fury.

_A liar…is that what you think I am? I hate being called a liar, and if I have no right to call you a liar, then you have no right either!_

His eyes suddenly fell upon a half-empty vodka bottle (coincidentally, the same one that Kaoru spotted) and he suddenly recalled the story Tae had told in the Akabeko.

_You have no tolerance, am I right Kamiya-san?_

He immediately poured out the vodka into her drink and left the empty bottle on the counter.

_I hope you enjoy yourself Kamiya-san…_

He reached over to his tea-cup only to find it full to the brim.

_That's strange…it was half-gone when I left…perhaps Enishi just refilled it…_

He immediately began to sip it again, noting that the flavor had changed slightly, but passing it off as a new spice Enishi had added.

Kaoru returned (she had gone to the bathroom too, but only to vent her anger on a now extremely shredded toilet paper roll) and took her seat next to Aoshi. A small smile graced her face as she saw Aoshi sip the tea, and she immediately reached for her glass to hide the smile.

_Wow, it's full to the brim! Enishi probably refilled it…_

Kaoru took a deep sip, not realizing that Aoshi's eyes suddenly held a cloudy look of triumph.

* * *

Enishi sighed in exhaustion. He was extremely tired of taking orders, and to his happiness, the other bartender had finally come to relieve Enishi of his duties.

"Thanks for the help Jiro" replied Enishi gratefully. "I'm tired to the bone."

"No sweat Nish" replied Jiro with a grin. "Just clean up the counters a bit and then leave. I'll take care of the rest!"

Enishi quickly disposed of empty bottles and cleaned empty glasses before scanning the counters for any other glasses or bottles. He suddenly came across an empty bottle of vodka, and he recalled that he had pulled out a full bottle of vodka earlier that evening, but had never required it.

_So how is it empty all of a sudden?_

"Enishi!"

Enishi glanced to see Kaoru waving, which wasn't too surprising. However, Aoshi waving at him too was a bit too strange to be normal.

"Hey guys, what's going on?" asked Enishi confusedly.

Suddenly, both Kaoru and Aoshi burst out into laughter.

"Ummm….guys?" asked Enishi.

"We don't know what's going on!" exclaimed Kaoru with a high-pitched giggle.

"Why don't we ever say 'what's going under'? Why is it always 'what's going on'?" asked Aoshi with a snort.

Enishi took one look at the glasses that sat on the table and then glanced at the empty bottle in his hand.

_Now I know how it ended up empty…this is not my day…_

_I guess all I can do is drive them home…

* * *

_

"Tori-atama! Win me that one!" exclaimed Megumi excitedly.

Sanosuke grunted in concentration as he carefully aimed his ring, desperately trying to toss it on the bottle that stood in front of a stuffed bear that held a heart-shaped pillow with the words 'I love you' traced in white cursive. He released the ring.

"Alright! The man with a rooster-like hairdo has one the stuffed bear!" cried out the owner of the stall, handing the bear to a slightly disgruntled Sanosuke.

"Hey Kitsune, I hope you're going to be the one to carry this around, because I sure as hell ain't gonna carry it around for you!" yelled Sanosuke.

"Thanks, Tori-atama!" replied Megumi affectionately, grabbing the bear from his hands and hugging it closely to her chest. "This is so cute!"

"Plus, it reveals the true feelings within my heart!" exclaimed Sanosuke with a grin, causing Megumi to blush ever so slightly.

"Do you know that it reveals my true feelings too?" whispered Megumi with a smile.

"Really?" asked Sanosuke with a grin. "I never would've guessed, with all the insults you throw at me.

"Baka tori!" admonished Megumi teasingly. "My insults are just another way of expressing love!"

"Then you've been in love with me for the past four years!" exclaimed Sanosuke with a triumphant yell.

"Baka tori, those years don't count!" yelled Megumi. "We just became a couple! Before, those insults were actually true!"

"I can't hear you!" yelled Sanosuke, plugging his ears with his fingers as Megumi thrashed him with her teddy bear, laughing as she tried to inflict pain with the soft, cotton-filled bear.

_No matter what…I still love him…and maybe we'll make it all the way…_

_I don't care what she says…I love her, and I want to have a future with her…

* * *

_

"I wanna fly like an eagle!"

"We can fly, we can fly, we can fly!"

Enishi was almost ready to throttle the two drunk people who stood by his side. Aoshi was smiling, strangely enough, although the fact that his smile was too wide to be sane was quite creepy. Kaoru, on the other hand, just seemed overly cheerful and loud, although her movements lacked her usual grace. She quickly leaned on Enishi's shoulder and started laughing loudly.

"Shinomori-san, Enishi's almost like an old man! He has whitish grayish hair!" drawled Kaoru. Aoshi burst out into a fit of laughter.

"Old man, old man!" he chanted, waving his hands in the air.

_This is not what I had in mind when I wanted to have a date with Kaoru…far from it…I'm going to murder that stupid rooster head! How could he steal the car when I took away his keys? And he stole it today, out of all days! He is going to die!_

Enishi clenched his fist as he recalled his struggle to push Aoshi and Kaoru out of the door only to discover that Sanosuke had stolen his car, and had left him such a wonderful note, complete with a drawing of a rooster crowing 'ha ha ha!'.

"Look!" cried out Kaoru suddenly, pointing at absolutely nothing in particular. "Shinomori-san, let's go!"

"Wait!" cried out Enishi, trying to grab the both of them. However, he was powerless to prevent them from leaving, and he had no other option aside from chasing them to their destination.

"OUCH!"

Enishi skidded to a stop to see Kaoru and Aoshi sprawled out on the ground. However, upon closer examination, Enishi realized that the two drunken people had fallen on some poor, unsuspecting and person.

"I'm so sorry!" Enishi began to apologize profusely. "I'm extremely sorry, these two are just out of my control today–"

"Enishi-san, it's perfectly alright" replied a muffled voice, and to Enishi's surprise, Miyana emerged from underneath the two now sleeping drunks. "However, I can't really say the same for Kamiya-san and Shinomori-san, can I?"

Enishi sighed exhaustedly; taking care of those two was no picnic.

_And now, I have to drag both of them back home…_

"Enishi-san?"

Enishi quickly shook his head and turned to Miyana. "Yes?" he asked curiously.

"It would probably be a hassle for you to try to drag both of them home, so why not I take Shinomori-san to the Aoiya, and you take Kamiya-san to her home?" offered Miyana gently.

"Wouldn't it be better if you took Kaoru home?" asked Enishi. "After all, you're both girls, and Aoshi probably weighs a lot more than Kaoru."

"I really don't know where Kamiya-san's apartment is, but I do know my way to the Aoiya. Also, Kamiya-san is probably more comfortable with you, and as soon as I get to the Aoiya, everyone else can take over" replied Miyana with a shrug. "It seems a bit simpler to do it that way."

"I really have to thank you Miyana" said Enishi with another exhausted sigh. "These two are hard to handle! Anyways, I'll take Kaoru home, so see you later!"

Enishi quickly lifted Kaoru bridal style and walked away. Miyana turned to Aoshi and shook him gently.

"Shinomori-san, could you please wake up?" asked Miyana softly. "I'll take you home, but it would be easier if you were at least awake…"

She received no answer whatsoever. With a sigh, Miyana heaved Aoshi onto her shoulder and trudged along, regretting her offer slightly.

* * *

"Kaya, I'm asking you one last time" whispered Okita quietly, nervously smoothing out his spotless dark blue hakama and his green gi. "Are you sure you want to go through with this? My parents are very difficult people, and I really don't want you to become offended by their harsh words."

"Soushi, we need to do this" answered Kaya determinedly. "You know that in the future, you will regret never telling your parents about us, and I don't want you to ever live your life in regret." She carefully pulled out a fan from her obi, the fan her deceased mother had given her so lovingly, and opened it gracefully before smoothing out her deep blue kimono with pale pink sakura blossoms. "We must talk to them Soushi…"

Okita sighed resignedly before knocking on the door elegantly. It opened gracefully to reveal a immaculately dressed man in a black hakama and white gi. His onyx eyes suddenly widened as he closely examined Okita.

"Arakai-sama!" he whispered breathlessly. "After six years, you have finally returned!"

"I'm sorry to disappoint you Hakujin" replied Okita quietly. "But I shall never return to this house again. I have come to give my parents some urgent news. May I see them tonight?"

"Hai, hai!" replied Hakujin, motioning for Okita and Kaya to follow him. His curious gaze fell upon Kaya, confused and worried, but he kept his back to Okita so that the young man would be unable to see his emotions. He opened the door to a spacious hall where a beautiful woman lay spread out on a futon, her dark brown hair intricately tied into a bun, her face painted beautifully, bringing out her chocolate eyes, her elegant and gorgeous kimono billowing gracefully. She was carefully pouring tea to an immaculately dressed man, who was wearing a dark blue gi and a spotless white hakama, the white setting off his jet black eyes and hair. Their eyes widened ever so slightly as Okita stared at them silently.

"Arakai" replied the man coldly. "After six years, you have finally learned the error of your ways. We welcome you with open arms."

"I am no longer Hishimoto Arakai any longer" said Okita firmly. "I am Okita Soushi, and I have not come to apologize because I have made no errors by leaving this family."

"Even now, you are as insolent as ever my child" said the woman icily. "I taught you to respect your elders, and instead, you defied our wishes and ran away from home. What news do you bear now?"

Kaya shivered, her hand grasping Okita's tightly.

_How can a mother be so cold to her child…She's his mother! Did he never know a mother's warmth…did he never know a father's doting…did he never receive love here?_

"Shiroji-san, Kimana-san, I have an announcement" called out Okita. "I am engaged."

Shiroji and Kimana both stood up swiftly, overcome with shock and anger.

"How dare you marry without our permission!" yelled Shirojo angrily, his hand descending on Okita rapidly. Okita's hand shout out and grabbed Shirojo's wrist, stopping the hand from making contact with his cheek. Kaya gasped slightly as Okita pulled her behind him swiftly, shielding her from any possible harm.

"I dare because I am your son no longer!" yelled Okita. "I left you when I was eighteen, and I am now legally independent! I have no respect for people who wish to determine every aspect of my life!"

"And what kind of stupid decisions have you been making?" shrieked Kimana angrily. "Is this girl standing next to you the woman you are engaged to?"

"Yes!" yelled Okita. "Her name is-"

"Who the hell cares about what this tramp's name is!" roared Shirojo angrily. "Did you think about her background, her wealth, her status, before proposing to her? Did you think about how she could affect our family and our happiness?"

_How can they judge me on their whims…how misguided have Soushi's parents become_

"Did you think about letting your own son find happiness?" retorted Okita. "No, right? Well, no is the answer to all the questions you've just asked! I fell in love with her, regardless of her background, and I will marry her, and only her!"

Kaya stood there, shell-shocked, unable to utter a single word as the family members bickered.

_So much hate in a single room…Oh Soushi, I'm so sorry for making you endure this, but it was either this pain or everlasting regret, and I just won't be happy if you're miserable…_

"Kimana-san, Shirojo-san, we did not come to pester you" whispered Kaya softly, slowly coming forward, releasing Okita's hand in the process. "We came to ask for your blessings. We wished to know whether you would like to wish us a happy life."

SLAP!

Kaya staggered backwards, holding a hand to her now red cheek as Kimana stood in front of her with a sneer. Kaya's fan flew to the corner and lay there, unseen and forgotten.

"Never…" she whispered. "Don't even dare to ask us for blessings! You shall never get them from us! You shall always be seen as the tramp that destroyed our only son's life, and we shall never let this marriage happen! Have fun with this pitiful engagement, because you two won't last till your marriage, we shall make sure of it!"

_"You two won't last till your marriage!"_

_That's not true…is it? Soushi and I…we won't fall apart…will we?_

"STOP IT!" yelled Okita furiously. "How dare you speak to Kaya that way! She brought me here so that we could receive your blessings, but obviously we're not going to receive those, so this is where we part!"

"Where are you going son!" yelled Shirojo angrily. Okita glared at his parents before clasping Kaya's hand in his and pulling her towards him so that he could wrap his arm around her shaking shoulders.

"I'm going home" he replied evenly. "And I shall never return to the Hishimoto Estate…it is no longer a familiar place…"

He swiftly turned and walked away, keeping Kaya at his side as they walked through the doors. Kaya reached into her obi to draw out her comforting fan, only to find out it was missing.

"Soushi, you bring the car here" whispered Kaya softly. "I dropped something in the house. I'll go back and get it!" She quickly turned and ran before Okita could answer.

_I know Soushi would stop me…but I can't leave that fan behind! Okaasan gave it to me!_

Kaya quickly scanned the enormous room, panicking as her eyes peered in every corner, only to see that there was no fan.

"Are you looking for this?"

Kaya turned to see Kimana standing there, Kaya's fan in her outstretched hand. Kaya bowed gracefully and respectfully.

"Arigato Kimana-san" whispered Kaya gently as Kimana placed the fan in her hand before swiftly walking away. Kaya opened the fan quickly and fingered the edges, sighing as memories of her mother flowed through her mind, easing her pain. She was about to walk away when she spotted a piece of paper lying by her sandals. She reached down and smoothed it out before reading it.

_Oh my gosh…_

Kaya quickly tucked it into her fan and folded the fan up before rushing away from the house and into the car Okita had pulled up in front.

* * *

"Shinomori-san, how did you become so heavy?" muttered Miyana under her breath, trying to pull Aoshi as she trudge along the sidewalks, breathing heavily. A cool chill passed through the air, and scent of coming rain made her regret not wearing her trench coat.

"Forgive me Shinomori-san" whispered Miyana gently. "But I am going to search your trench coat for an umbrella. As much as I love the rain, I really don't want to have a cold tomorrow while fighting Saitou-san."

She quickly dropped him on a bench and dug through his trench coat, desperately hoping the find an umbrella. Instead, her fingers grasped a sheath, and she pulled it out curiously to discover a sheathed sword.

"You're also a swordsman…" whispered Miyana, carefully tucking the sword back where it belonged before triumphantly grabbing an umbrella.

"We're in luck Shinomori-san" she said quietly.

"…umi…" he whispered weakly.

"What?" asked Miyana confusedly. "Shinomori-san, are you okay?"

He started to toss and turn, frightening Miyana as she stared at him, unsure of what to do.

_Perhaps the streetlights are bothering him…too bright…maybe I should find someplace darker…that alley is rather dark…_

She quickly dragged Shinomori-san to the alley, and he seemed to calm down. Miyana sighed with relief, when he suddenly started whispering again.

"…zumi…" he whispered quietly, his eyes opening wide, but he still lay on the road, staring up into space.

"Shinomori-san, what's wrong? What are you trying to say?" asked Miyana, placing her hand on Aoshi's forehead, making sure that he was not feverish or clammy.

_He seems perfectly fine…so what's wrong with him?  
_"Izumi…why have you come back…" murmured Aoshi, sounding slightly delirious and deranged. He began to rise from the ground, but Miyana pushed him back down firmly by the shoulders.

"Shinomori-san, perhaps you should rest and I should call the Aoiya" whispered Miyana gently, releasing his shoulders in order to stand up. However, she was pulled back down again as Aoshi's hand wrapped around her wrist tightly.

"Ouch! Shinomori-san, what are you doing?" asked Miyana indignantly, trying to remove her wrist from his grasp, struggling futilely. "Shinomori-san, please let go!"

"Why have you come back? To torture me?" asked Aoshi, his voice growing louder by the second.

"Shinomori-san, I don't know what you're talking about, please let go!" shrieked Miyana. "Shinomori-san, can you hear me? Shinomori-san!"

"Shut up!" growled Aoshi angrily. "You ruined my life once! It's time that I return the favor!"

He suddenly flipped her over and wrapped his hands around her neck.

"Shinomori-san what's going on! Wake up Shinomori-san, wake up!" shrieked Miyana.

Aoshi paid no heed and instead continued to apply pressure.

* * *

"Enishi! Why aren't you letting me fly?" asked Kaoru groggily, clutching Enishi's arm while flapping her other arm as if she was flying. "I could fly wonderfully, and you'd know it!"

"Yes, I'm sure that after you break your skull and damage all the bones in your body, you'd be an excellent flyer" replied Enishi wryly, pulling Kaoru along.

_I hope Miyana's not having too much trouble with Aoshi…maybe we should've just taken them together…_

"Enishi! Why are you staring at nothing?" asked Kaoru suddenly. "We've reached my apartment!" She pointed in front of her, as if to emphasize that her apartment was right in front of her.

"Kaoru…"

"Yes?"

"That's a dumpster."

"Really?" murmured Kaoru weakly. "That's great…" She yawned deeply and leaned against Enishi's shoulder, falling asleep almost immediately. Despite himself, Enishi smiled softly and stroked Kaoru's head gently before lifting her up bridal style again.

_Kaoru…do I have a chance with you? Can you love again, after Himura broke your heart…_

_"Did you even try?"_

_Miyana…I didn't try…but sometimes, I wonder…will it hurt more if I try and she rejects me?_

He reached into Kaoru's pocket and withdrew her apartment key as he neared her apartment building to see Yui standing outside, staring at the sky above.

"Excuse me Obaasan?" asked Enishi politely. "Do you need help?"

"It's going to rain" she replied simply. "You should head back home after dropping off Kaoru-chan."

"Well, in all honesty, she could use some soup and aspirin and what not" said Enishi with a shrug. "So I might stay for awhile."

"You cannot stay where you don't belong" whispered Yui quietly.

"What?" asked Enishi confusedly.

"You don't belong here" replied the woman. "You belong to the place rain has taken you before…you belong to her…"

"Who's 'her'?" asked Enishi exasperatedly.

"She's in danger" whispered Yui.

"Who's in danger?" yelled Enishi, starting to lose his temper. Yui turned around and left Enishi, slamming the door behind her. Enishi shifted Kaoru in his arms and opened the door to chase after Yui, only to discover that she had disappeared. With a sigh, Enishi walked over to Kaoru's apartment door, set her down gently on the floor, and then fiddled with the key and lock until he had managed to open it.

"Yahiko?" he called out quietly, hoping that young boy was there to help his older sister. However, Yahiko did not respond, so Enishi simply lifted Kaoru into his arms again and crept through the apartment.

"Yahiko?" called out Enishi again, only to receive no response. He sighed and opened Kaoru's bedroom door, set the drunken woman on her bed, and then ran to the kitchen to find some aspirin. However, before he could even begin his search, a note on the refrigerator attracted his attention.

'Ugly,

Went to Dr. Gensai's to see Tsubame. She wants me to tell you that she can't come to work tomorrow either, so apologize to Tae on her behalf. I won't be back tonight, cause I'll be staying at Dr. Gensai's. Megumi called, said she was spending the night in the hospital with bird-brain.

Yahiko'

_So I'm supposed to take care of Kaoru all by myself…I'm supposed to somehow take care of the girl who I have had a crush on for two years. I should've switched places with Miyana…_

_And what did that old lady mean by "she's in danger"? Maybe she was just delusional...

* * *

_

Miyana's eyes began to water from lack of breath as Aoshi's hands lay firmly planted on her neck, effectively choking her.

_What's wrong with him? Why won't he stop?_

_I don't want to die!_

_Wait…_

Miyana's hand grasped for the umbrella she had dropped near Aoshi and the moment her fingers wrapped around the umbrella, she immediately jabbed it into Aoshi's stomach pushing him away. He fell to the ground with a solid thud, and she immediately stood up, breathing heavily, trying to regain her breath as she leaned against the wall farthest from Aoshi.

"What's wrong with you Shinomori-san?" she shrieked. "Why are you doing this? Why aren't you waking up? Why can't you stop yourself?"

_Why are you trying to kill the girl named Izumi?_

"SHUT UP! I will kill you Izumi!" yelled Aoshi, whipping out the sword from his sheath and throwing it at her, aiming for her head. Miyana neatly dodged it. Suddenly, she felt a splitting pain in her shoulder and she glanced in surprise to see a second sword graze her shoulder deeply.

_Two concealed swords in a single sheath…Shinomori-san's mastered the kodachi…_

"Shinomori-san, what are you doing?" she shrieked, grabbing both swords. "Can't you see who I am? I'm not Izumi! Shinomori-san, please wake up!"

His foot suddenly flew towards her head, and she immediately ducked only to be hit in the stomach with a solid punch. She hit the wall behind her with a gasp of pain.

"You've lied too much Izumi" whispered Aoshi angrily. "I won't listen anymore."

"I'm not Izumi!" shouted Miyana. "Shinomori-san, don't make me hurt you, please!"

Miyana suddenly shrieked in pain as Aoshi painfully yanked both kodachis from her hands, cutting both hands sharply in the palm. Before Aoshi could strike, she immediately landed a solid kick in his side, knocking him to the ground. Aoshi began to rise when he suddenly felt a splitting pain in his head. He crumpled to the ground before Miyana's feet as a torrent of rain fell from the skies, soaking both Miyana and Aoshi. Rain pooled around him, and the lightening suddenly revealed Miyana standing behind him, a solid brick in her hand, tears gathering in her eyes.

"I'm so sorry Shinomori-san" she whispered, the rain washing away the blood that stained her shoulder and hands, erasing any evidence about hers and Aoshi's struggle, save for the scars that trailed down her hands.

* * *

"Mmmm…" murmured Kaoru sleepily, curling underneath the comforter that Enishi had neatly draped over her body. Lying on the bedside table next to her was a glass of water, a bottle of aspirin, and a note written by Enishi himself, stating that there was soup in the refrigerator so that she would recover soon from her hangover, though she didn't drink that much vodka to begin with.

Enishi watched her with a smile and he gingerly sat down next to her. He stared at her as she turned in her sleep, her black hair falling back to frame her face like a halo. The gentle smile on her face and her beautiful lashes that swept over her cheekbones simply gave her the face of an angel.

_Kaoru…_

Enishi's hand slowly reached out to rest on her forehead. After realizing that she had not stirred, he began to stroke her forehead gently, a smiling growing on his face.

"Enishi" murmured Kaoru, her eyes opening slightly. Enishi immediately withdrew his hand in surprise, praying that she had been unaware of his hand.

"Kaoru?" he asked quietly. Kaoru groaned as she raised her hands to clutch her head.

"Mou…I have the most horrible headache" she muttered. "What happened?"

"You and Aoshi apparently got drunk" replied Enishi with a slight grin.

"How on Earth did that happen?" asked Kaoru. "I mean, I know how Shinomori-san got drunk, but I was just drinking that juice you gave me!"

"How did Aoshi get drunk?" asked Enishi curiously.

"I might have put vodka into his tea…" replied Kaoru sheepishly.

"And he might have put vodka into your juice" finished Enishi with a grin.

"WHAT?"

Enishi quickly made sure that his ears were still functioning before answering Kaoru's stunned question.

"Well, when I came by to talk to you two, I found an empty bottle of vodka, and both of your glasses had the scent of alcohol" replied Enishi. "I don't know why on Earth you two drank your beverages after you poured the alcohol in them."

"I thought you had refilled mine" answered Kaoru grumpily, trying to ignore Enishi's mocking grin. "So what happened after that?"

"I was trying to drag you two home, since some bird-brain chose tonight to steal my car. Thankfully, I ran into Miyana, who volunteered to take Aoshi to the Aoiya. Otherwise, I would've died of exhaustion by now" replied Enishi with a grin.

"You took the time to bring me up here and make sure I was okay and everything?" asked Kaoru softly. "Oh Enishi, that's so sweet!"

"It was nothing…" replied Enishi, but in that much time, Kaoru wrapped her arms around him and embraced him tightly, causing his cheeks to become slightly red.

"Thanks Enishi" whispered Kaoru, pulling away from him with a soft smile. "You're the best friend any girl could have!"

_Best friend…I know it doesn't sound like much, but Himura was Kaoru's best friend before she fell in love with him…so I am getting closer!_

"So, you must have a killer headache right now" said Enishi with a grin, picking up the glass of water and the aspirin from her bedside table. "Why don't you take some aspirin and get some rest?"  
"You really are thoughtful, aren't you?" asked Kaoru with a smile, downing the aspirin with a few sips of water. "I'm really in your debt!"

"Ah, ah, ah" replied Enishi, wagging his finger. "No debts in friendship!"

Kaoru giggled as she lifted her covers again. "I suppose you're right Enishi! Anyways, you must be dead tired as well, so why don't you just sleep here tonight?"

"No thanks, I better go home" answered Enishi. "A certain rooster needs to be taught a lesson…But I'm not leaving until I see your eyes shut!"

"Alright, alright!" said Kaoru in between laughter. She reached over and kissed Enishi's forehead quickly before snuggling under the covers.

"Good night Enishi!" she whispered, her eyes slowly shutting, hiding the bright red color that spread over Enishi's cheeks.

"Good night Kaoru" he whispered softly, shutting the door to her room before exiting her apartment.

_Yes…I might be getting closer to her heart…

* * *

_

"So, you saw the true colors of my parents" whispered Okita quietly, placing a cup of coffee in front of Kaya as they sat in her bedroom, talking softly so that their voices wouldn't awaken Aika and Ryoko.

"Soushi…it's not your fault" murmured Kaya softly. "I wanted to see them, to tell them that I was engaged to their son. I pushed you into this, so please don't blame yourself."

"They said such hurtful things towards you, and you're willing to let it all go?" asked Okita incredulously.

"Soushi, it just goes to show you that they've never received a parent's love during their lifetime!" replied Kaya softly. "Tokio-san and Saitou-san care so much for you, and you've come to learn what love truly is. But your parents were unfortunate enough to never receive true love. It's not their fault…it's just how they were raised. Don't blame them for the past that they cannot change."

"Sometimes Kaya, I just think you're too nice for your own good" replied Okita with a sad smile. "I feel like I don't deserve you…you're so selfless…"

"Shhh" whispered Kaya gently, placing a finger to Okita's lips. "No one is selfless. It is human nature to want, be it a human or an object, because there are so many things that make someone feel precious. And like any other human, there is one thing I want…"

"What's that?" asked Okita with a small smile.

"I want to love you forever" whispered Kaya softly.

"What a coincidence" murmured Okita. "I want that same thing too."

Okita and Kaya both laughed softly as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders so that they could sit together, drinking coffee.

* * *

Miyana sighed in relief as she finally approached the Aoiya, the burden of Aoshi draped over her shoulders. The pain in her palms was agonizing, and she was itching to run home and rub some soothing salve on the cuts.

_Thankfully, they were shallow…otherwise, they would really impede my battle with Saitou-san tomorrow, and I really don't want to be defenseless against him…_

She trudged up the steps and knocked on the door of the Aoiya weakly.

_Oh please, please, please let someone be in there…_

The door swung open to reveal a rather drowsy looking Misao.

"Who are…oh my gosh! AOSHI-SAMA!" shrieked Misao, all signs of sleepiness disappearing as she stared at Aoshi's bedraggled and unconscious state. "What's happened to you Aoshi-sama? Are you alright?"  
Her hand suddenly ran over the bump on his head, the one created by the brick Miyana had used to knock him out.

"Why is there a bump on his head?" asked Misao angrily, pointing an accusing finger to Miyana. "What have you done to Aoshi-sama?"

"I'm really sorry, but Shinomori-san was apparently really drunk, and he started to hallucinate a bit, and-"

"You have got to be kidding me!" yelled Misao furiously. "How could you make up such a stupid story?"  
"What?" asked Miyana in disbelief. "I'm not lying Makimachi-san, it really-"

"It really happened?" asked Misao disbelievingly. "Don't try to fool me! Aoshi-sama has no tolerance, and he would never drink alcohol! He always drank tea! You can't trick me, I've known Aoshi-sama ever since I was a child! Why did you do this to him? Are you one of those fan-girls who's crazed with keeping Aoshi-sama to herself? That's disgusting!"

"Makimachi-san, I really-"

"Don't try to convince me!" yelled Misao angrily. "I'm not going to listen to your lies! How could you do this to Aoshi-sama?"

"Makimachi-san-"

"I'll tell you one thing you can do to make this all better" replied Misao angrily, interrupting Miyana for about the fourth time. "Get away from here, and don't ever come back! If I ever see you near Aoshi-sama again, I will call the police!"

"Maki-"

"LEAVE!" shrieked Misao angrily, slamming the door angrily in Miyana's face. Miyana slowly walked down the stairs and back into the rain, allowing the cool drops to embrace her, to comfort her of her pain.

_Makimachi-san…I'm so sorry…I didn't mean to hurt Shinomori-san, but…what else could I have possibly done? My life may be miserable at times, but I didn't want to die!_

With a sigh, Miyana walked to her apartments.

* * *

Aoshi's eyes were met with a bright light, and he instinctively shut them, trying to avoid the light.

"Aoshi."

Aoshi woke up to see Okina staring down at him, a slight frown on his face. Aoshi glanced around and realized that he was in his room at the Aoiya.

_Wait…how did end up here…the last thing I remember clearly is falling onto the grass with Kamiya-san…_

"Okina, what are you doing here?" asked Aoshi quietly, clutching his head as an agonizing headache ran through his head.

_That tea must have had alcohol in it…how else could I get a hangover…but why is it so painful…_

"I needed to tell you two things" replied Okina. "One, there is a large bump on your head, which explains why you are experiencing a very painful hangover, and two, whoever brought you here might know something about Izumi."

"What?" growled Aoshi.

"Misao-chan said that some girl brought you here tonight, said you were hallucinating" answered Okina. "Misao of course, didn't believe the girl, but the moment I heard about the hallucinating, I realized that the girl might have figured out about Izumi. Do you remember anything?"

Aoshi dug through the depths of his mind, trying to remember what happened that night.

**_"SHUT UP! I will kill you Izumi!"_**

"Oh great" muttered Aoshi. "I threatened to kill her…I kept calling her Izumi and threatening to kill her…"

"Did you reveal anything else?" asked Okina curiously.

Aoshi thought deeply, and finally shook his head.

"Not to my recollection" murmured Aoshi.

"Alright, can you tell me who you might've threatened?" asked Okina. "Misao didn't ask the girl for her name, but since you came from the Shirobeko, I doubt Enishi would've let you leave in such a drunken state alone with someone he wouldn't trust. However, I think the only people there that you knew were Enishi and Kaoru, but Kaoru was just as drunk as you…"

"Who told you all of this?" muttered Aoshi.

"Jiro told me after I called the Shirobeko to find out what happened. He just mentioned that Enishi left with two drunken friends. So the only girl you could've possibly threatened was Kaoru, am I right?" asked Okina with a sigh.

Aoshi once again tried to dig through his mind.

_What happened tonight?_

_I was staring at her, straight at her…her eyes were wide with fright, she was screaming at me, asking me what was wrong, begging me to wake up…amethyst-sapphire eyes staring up at me in fear…_

_Amethyst-sapphire? Kamiya's eyes aren't that shade!_

Aoshi groaned suddenly.

"What's wrong Aoshi?" asked Okina. "What happened?"

"I figured out who I attacked…" he muttered angrily.

"Who?" asked Okina curiously. "If you didn't attack Kaoru, then who did you attack?"

"Miyana…"

* * *

**This chapter finally ended...you can stop reading now...**

**Anyways, a few last minute thoughts. Namida Wa Shiiteru (I don't think I'm spelling it right) is an ending song from Rurouni Kenshin, so that's not my property. Also, after spending quite a few chapters writing about Kaya briefly, I've finally discovered who Kaya is very similar too - Tohru Honda from Fruits Basket. However unlike Tohru, Kaya reveals the matters in her heart a lot more (joys and sorrows) and she isn't always cheerful like Tohru, she's a bit more serious and mature, which of course you would expect from a woman that's 25 (Okita's a year younger than her, 24).**

**A bit about Aoshi - he's hallucinating. Miyana keeps screaming wake up because she thinks he might be sleepwalking or something.**

**A bit about Misao - I know she's jumping to conclusions, and that how she's acting is not quite like herself, but there was a future purpose for making her dislike Miyana, and in addition, I wanted to make her a bit more passionate about her dear Aoshi-sama. There's no romance between the two, but a very close sibling bond, and I just wanted to stress that by showing how much Misao cares for Aoshi...although she does yell at Miyana an awful lot.**

**Lastly, I really hope that Kaya and Miyana are not turning out to be Mary-Sues! I've seen a lot around her recently, and I'm desperately hoping that these two are turning out OK!**

**Next chapter - A tumultous training session - need I say more?**

**Ja ne for now, please keep reading and reviewing! AND THOSE OF YOU WHO AREN'T REVIEWING, I BEG OF YOU, LEAVE ME A REVIEW! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!**


	14. Tumultous Training And Feelings

**Hitoezakura - I have gone back in time and now, Rurouni Kenshin is mine for the taking! Mwahaha!  
Aoshi - I seriously think you're crazy...  
Hitoezakura - I'm not crazy, I'm just...passionate  
Yahiko - Don't use euphemisms ugly!  
(A second later, Yahiko is tossed outside in the cold snow)  
Hitoezakura - Wait a minute, I'm still in the present...I must have miscalculated...Oh well, back to the time machine.  
Alucard - Actually, I used it as target practice, and it is nowa mangled piece of metal.  
Hitoezakura - NOOOOOOOOOOO!**

**Disclaimer - I apologize for the temporary insanity. Rurouni Kenshin is the property of Nohiburo Watsuki, not mine...**

**Oh my gosh, I have not updated for a little less than two months! You have no idea how incredibly guilty I feel, especially after reading your guys' reviews! I'm so sorry, but school and projects are piling up, and to top it off, I ended up recieving a new original story idea, so I had to start that off as well...**

**First, reviewer responses!**

**Crewel - Oh my gosh, you make me feel so happy inside! I almost screamed when I read your review! I felt so wonderful, and thank you for all those wonderful compliments! I assure you, I will keep trying to write many more Sanosuke and Megumi moments! Thank you so much, and I'm thrilled that you love this story! Please, please, please keep reviewing, because I love your reviews so much!**

**Pinoykengumi - Haha...your poor brother...but I'm glad you paused his download just to read my story. Thank you for the compliment, and I'm glad you enjoyed the plot! I hope you keep reading and reviewing, despite your lack of time!**

**Blooded wyngs - Thank you! About the drunk scene - I'm not entirely happy with it either, and I felt kind of strange writing like that, since this was the first time I've actually wrote a drunk scene(and if you read WhiteRabbit5's review, you can see that I did a pretty awful job with it too...). Misao and Soujirou's conversation was a bit mushy, but I really do want to bring them closer together, and I know for a fact that they will be more of a sideline couple for almost the whole fiction, so I do want to include some moments between them. Thanks for reviewing, and I hope you'll enjoy the story and keep reviewing!**

**WhiteRabbit5 - Haha, you told me in the very beginning that you like Kaya's character (that was one of the reasons I went ahead and developed her a lot more than I had planned. Originally, she didn't have such a big role, but I ended up liking her a lot, and soon, I had created a huge plot for her!), and don't worry, you find out what the note says in this chapter! I know some parts in this story are hard to buy (like I said to blooded wyngs, I felt really strange writing a drunk scene, and my brother claims I'm much more naive than a high schooler should be), but I'm glad you found it entertaining. The moment you pointed out the whole vodka issue, I felt like an idiot. Thank you for pointing that out. I assure you in the future, that I will fix up that chapter and will probably use your suggestion (maybe next weekend during Parent teacher conferences), but for the time being, it'll remain like that. Sorry, and thanks for the pointers!  
As for Miyana...well, in all honesty, she's not that likeable at this point. I've read a few of your stories and about Naruku (I don't think I'm spelling her name right...sorry), and she's cheerful despite her troubles. The same with Kaoru and Misao. That's what makes them so likeable. At this point, Miyana's personality is shady because she's still secretive, but she does open up more in the future. Perhaps you'll like her in the future...  
Thanks for reviewing! I really appreciate your reviews, and I do hope you'll keep reviewing and enjoying this story!**

**Kaoru4 - Thank you so much for reviewing (there are people on my favorites list who don't review, but I'm glad you're not one of them)! I didn't update as soon as you wanted, huh...Oh well, I'm glad you like this story, and please continue to enjoy it and review!**

**Ardenilia - Hi! Do you think Enishi and Miyana will make a great couple? We might find out (wink wink)...anyways, thanks for your review!  
I assure you, the Enishi Kaoru connection will continue to develop, and during that time, Megumi helps keep Aoshi...occupied...you'll find out how in this chapter...  
Thanks for your suggestions by the way (I couldn't pull off the mp3s off hotmail, but my friend lent me her CDs and I listened to them). I'll be sure to use one eventually, but I apologize if it doesn't happen immediately!  
I hope you keep enjoying this story, and please keep reviewing!**

**FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO READ AND DO NOT REVIEW - Although I love seeing my 'hits' number increase, I would love to see my reviews increase as well. Please try to find the time to review, because they really help me and encourage me to write faster. **

**Anyways, this chapter has the training session...I'm not entirely sure how it came out, but please, provide some comments on it. I'm not good with training sessions, although I do like writing actions scenes with the good guys against the villains, so I'm sorry if it seems strange! Also, you discover something about that mysterious note of Kaya's!**

**Not revealing anymore! Read the story, and hopefully, you enjoy it!**

* * *

**HOW IS THIS LOVE?**

"I am not looking forward to this…" muttered Sanosuke darkly, glaring at the training building as Enishi pulled into the driveway. Megumi placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him.

"Look on the bright side Sanosuke!" said Kaoru with a smile. "At least you don't need to train with Saitou anymore! You two really couldn't get along!"

"That's another thing," said Sanosuke thoughtfully. "Why the hell did the old man team up Saitou and Miyana?"

"Well, Okina did say that he was going to team up people who didn't get along or people that would enhance each other's skills" said Enishi quietly, a scowl on his face. "Maybe he just thinks that Miyana and Saitou would help each other improve…"

"Then why doesn't he just team up Miyana with Kenshin?" concluded Sanosuke. "Both of them trained under Hiko, and both of them could work off each other in the Hiten Mitsurugi technique!"

"Believe me, I'd be thrilled if Himura was teamed up with someone other than me, but Okina knows what he's doing…He has his reasons for teaming the two up…" muttered Enishi.

Meanwhile, Megumi was quietly whispering to Kaoru.

"Are you sure you can deal training with Tomoe-san?" asked Megumi gently. Kaoru nodded determinedly.

"It's been two years since Kenshin and Tomoe-san were married, and I really think I should try to put my past behind me," whispered Kaoru. "After all, I'm powerless in this situation, and I can't force Kenshin to fall in love with me…"

Kaoru trailed off sadly and stared out the window quietly. Megumi sighed and stared outside her window as well.

"Hey, Kaya's cheek is red and swollen!" exclaimed Megumi as Okita's car pulled up next to them, holding Kaya, Okita, Saitou, and Tokio. "What happened to her?"  
"You're right, that looks pretty bad," murmured Sanosuke with a frown. "Did someone try to beat her up?"

"How could that have happened?" asked Kaoru curiously. "She was with Okita all day! He would have beaten up any person who raised their fist!"

"Hiko's behind us" said Enishi lifelessly, his eyes narrowing in anger as he saw Kenshin driving the car through the rearview mirror.

_I still don't like you…but I'm fighting for Kaoru, so you had better not interfere!_

"Where's the kid?" asked Sanosuke, peering in the rearview mirror curiously.

"Baka, do you really think that they would bring a child to a training session?" asked Megumi incredulously. "No, they probably asked Dr. Gensai to take care of him for the time being. Kenji really likes Ayame and Suzume, and Tsubame told me that she's taken care of Kenji a few times herself."

"Here we are" muttered Enishi. "Ready to face torture everybody?"

"I, unlike all of you, have no torture whatsoever" replied Megumi with a slightly smug smile, stepping out of the car. "Let's go in now! It's better than sitting in here and lamenting our fate!"

With a sigh, the other three exited the vehicle listlessly.

* * *

Aoshi leaned against the wall of the front entrance, his eyes drifting towards the entrance every few seconds, hoping to sight one person.

Miyana.

_I really need to apologize…but more than that, I need to find out whether she discovered who Izumi was…I can't let her find out, I just can't…_

He suddenly heard the sound of car doors shutting and he raised his head expectantly, but instead of Miyana, a trail of people entered through the doorway. Kaoru, Enishi, and Sanosuke looked fairly depressed, but Megumi seemed fine. Aoshi figured that their emotions were based on their training opponents.

His eyes suddenly widened slightly as Kaya walked in with Okita, her left cheek swollen and red. They were both followed by Saitou, Tokio, Kenshin, Hiko, and Tomoe. However, Aoshi paid no heed to them and walked up to Kaya, the slightest concern radiating in his eyes.

"Kaya, what happened to your cheek?" asked Aoshi quietly. Kaya laughed ever so slightly.

"Aoshi, there's seriously no need to worry about it!" she exclaimed with a laugh. "It's just that I managed to trip and my cheek hit one of the stairs extremely hard."

_Then why is your laughter sounding slightly forced and fake? Kaya, something's fishy, you're hiding something…_

Aoshi simply raised an eyebrow and turned to the doorway once again to see Miyana grace his presence. She seemed perfectly alright, but when she raised one of her hands to push back a strand of hair, he noted the bandages wrapped around the palms of her hands, and the dark bruises that encircled her wrist. Her trench coat shifted slightly, revealing the marks of hands encircling her neck. However, she quickly yanked up the collar of her turtleneck and pulled down the sleeves in order to cover the bruises.

_I was really out of control yesterday…_

However, before Aoshi could approach Miyana and apologize, Okina quickly rushed into the hall and greeted everyone.

"Alright, each set of people have been assigned an individual room to battle in, and later on, we'll try practicing group tactics and range shots and what not. I sent each of you a sheet yesterday, highlighting which room each of you would be in, so lets not waste any time and proceed!" exclaimed Okina. He gathered the four Oniwabanshuu and led them to the room in which the four of them and him would be training.

Everyone else glanced at each other before walking to their specific rooms.

* * *

"Alright girls, I'm going to be attacking both of you individually, but before that, I want to see you two in combat together so that I can determine any weaknesses or flaws in your fighting. After the individual fights, you both will try to attack me. Any questions?" asked Tokio.

"Let's start Megumi" replied Kaya with a small smile.

"Alright" agreed Megumi.

"Now, this will strictly be hand to hand combat skills, although in the second half, I want you to use any guns and small knives you carry on you. Both of you don't handle swords, so there is no question about that. Megumi-chan, I know that you are more of a medical asset for the team, but I still want to sharpen your skills so that you can defend yourself if you are ever alone" said Tokio crisply.

"Begin!" she yelled out, causing Megumi to launch forward and begin the attack from the offensive. She threw a punch toward Kaya's abdomen, but Kaya neatly blocked it and pushed Megumi to the floor as she pushed against Megumi's fist. Megumi however, caught herself before falling completely and did a spin around to kick Kaya near the ankles. Kaya fell backwards and quickly somersaulted so that she remained standing, and then launched a punch against Megumi, connecting with Megumi's abdomen. Megumi fell to the floor with a cough, and Kaya used that much time to knock Megumi to the ground, flat on her back.

"Alright, Megumi-chan, I'll work on defense with you" said Tokio quietly. "Kaya-chan, while I fight Megumi, why don't you work on your offensive techniques? There are times when offensive techniques at the very beginning of the battle are useful, and I know that you tend to go into defensive at the beginning."

Kaya nodded and Tokio turned to Megumi, who looked slightly upset about her lack of strength and power.

"Megumi-chan, please don't feel bad about this" replied Tokio softly. "I know that over time, your skills will sharpen and you will be able to defend yourself. We asked you to become a secret agent because we felt you had potential. Otherwise, we would've asked you to sit aside, like Tae, Sae, and Dr. Genzai. Don't berate yourself too much, and instead focus on improvement."

"But I feel so useless" whispered Megumi quietly. Tokio smiled gently.

"Megumi-chan, you are training to become a doctor, right?" asked Tokio, watching Megumi nod in accord before continuing to speak. "You can actually apply your medical training to a battle. You know which areas are weaker than others, which points to press in order to dislocate limbs or stop bodily functions, which areas to target in order to weaken your opponent. You cannot solely think about power and strength, but you must use your intelligence and knowledge as well. Do you understand?"

"Hai!" replied Megumi with a grin.

"Alright, now I want to see both of you battle this time!" yelled out Tokio, signaling for Kaya and Megumi to prepare themselves.

"Begin!"

* * *

"So, did Takani beat you up?" asked Aoshi with a raise of an eyebrow, commenting on the fading bruises Megumi and Enishi had inflicted upon Sanosuke.

"No, Enishi was there too Ice-man" replied Sanosuke offhandedly.

WHAM!

Sanosuke just barely managed to dodge the punch Aoshi threw at him.

"Hey, watch it Shinomori!" yelled Sanosuke angrily. "What are you trying to do, kill me?"

"If you had been on guard, you would've dodged earlier" replied Aoshi calmly. "And don't call me Ice-man" he added, his eyes flashing dangerously.

"Fine!" muttered Sanosuke, sinking into his battle posture, his arms out in front of him, ready to strike. "Bring it on!" he yelled out, waiting for Aoshi to prepare himself.

"I'm ready Sagara" replied Aoshi coolly, his arms crossed, his kodachi still sheathed.

"Shinomori, you may have those kodachi sheathed right now, but I assure you, I'm going to make you pull them out of their sheaths during this fight!" yelled Sanosuke, launching into an attack. He lunged towards Aoshi, fist extended, but Aoshi immediately grabbed Sanosuke's flying fist and pushed him back, causing Sanosuke to stumble a bit. However, Sanosuke immediately composed himself.

"You know, Shinomori, I don't think you're all worked up yet!" said Sanosuke with a grin. "Perhaps I should just increase that pathetic anger of yours, huh?"

"And what on Earth could you possibly say that would annoy me more than you already do?" asked Aoshi. Sanosuke's grin simply grew wider.

"Ice ice baby!" sang out Sanosuke with a laugh, singing to the tune of Vanilla Ice's "Ice Ice Baby" gleefully. "Ice ice baby, Aoshi!"

Aoshi's eyes suddenly turned into icy storms as he charged at Sanosuke with fresh vigor.

"AAAHH! I didn't mean for you to get that angry!"

A sudden crash caused both men to become distracted.

"What was that?" muttered Sanosuke.

"You don't think Yukishiro and Himura are taking this battle too seriously, right?" asked Aoshi warily.

"SHIT!" yelled Sanosuke, punching the wall and running out of the room, Aoshi quietly following the agitated rooster-head.

* * *

"Come on boy, you can't just hold your head in reverence to me forever!"

Okita glared at Hiko, his usual smile dissipating into a frown.

_Out of all the people I could be stuck with, I'm stuck with the biggest egoist!_

"You know, if you don't come and attack me eventually, I'm going to tell Kaya-kun all about your teenage years!" teased Hiko with a big grin.

"Go ahead, you know nothing about me!" declared Okita triumphantly.

"What about that time a mere baby goat chased after you and you went fleeing away from it?"

Okita's eyes widened with horror and anger as well.

_How the hell does he know about that?_

"Or perhaps Kaya-kun would be interested to know about the time you tripped over a rock and fell into a pile of horse dung? Or maybe that-"

"That's enough!" yelled Okita angrily, charging at Hiko, his blade perfectly horizontal, executing a gatotsu that would've made Saitou proud. Hiko neatly dodged the blade however, and turned around just as Okita flew past him to deliver a blow on the back. Okita crashed into the wall, but immediately stood up and slowly approached Hiko until he was only ten meters away from the great swordsmaster.

"Charge boy! You can't just stand there!" bellowed Hiko. "Or are you just so intimidated my power that you cannot continue?"

Okita growled and charged once again, this time managing to clash with Hiko's blade, although in the end of the struggle, he greeted the wall once again. Okita and Hiko continued to charge at each other, Hiko constantly inserting egotistical comments in the middle of it all, until Okita lay on the ground nearby the now completely demolished wall in pain.

"How long are you just going to lay there?" demanded Hiko. He received no answer from Okita whatsoever, and decided to settle down in a corner before withdrawing a sake jug and saucer from the depths of his cape.

"Perhaps I can use this time to rack my mind for more amusing anecdotes to tell Kaya-kun" murmured Hiko. In a flash, Okita was in front of Hiko, almost ready to strangle the now smug and laughing man.

"I'm beginning to understand why Himura-san sometimes avoids you" muttered Okita darkly.

"Nonsense! That's not the reason! He's just jealous of my wonderous strength!" chuckled Hiko, causing Okita to bang his head on the ground in agony and exasperation.

Suddenly, the crashing of walls sounded throughout the room. Hiko and Okina glanced at each other.

"Kenshin!" muttered Hiko.

"Enishi!" muttered Okita.

They both rushed out of the room, trying to find both men.

* * *

"Kaoru-chan? Are you ready to begin?" asked Tomoe softly, tossing Kaoru a bokken for defense, keeping the second bokken for herself.

_How can I ever be ready Tomoe-san? I was never ready for anything when it came to you…I wasn't ready for your arrival, for your marriage with Kenshin, for your child…and look where I am now! I've suffered heartbreak for two years..._

"I'm ready Tomoe-san" replied Kaoru softly, holding up her bokken. They both charged at each other, and within a minute, Tomoe had knocked the bokken out of Kaoru's hands.

"You weren't ready Kaoru-chan" admonished Tomoe sternly, picking up Kaoru's bokken at tossing it back to Kaoru.

_I'm so sorry Kaoru-chan…You must think I stole the one man most precious to you, and for that I am truly sorry…but I cannot give up Kenshin. Kenshin is the one man I can depend on. After my first love, I didn't think anyone could heal the raging fires within my heart…but Kenshin was there for me…I can't give him up, I just can't!_

"You must always be prepared Kaoru-chan" whispered Tomoe. "There are times when the battle will not be going the way you anticipated, but you must pick yourself up and continue to fight, even if it seems you're losing, because you never know when you may win. Perhaps you didn't win in the manner you anticipated, but at least you won…"

Kaoru's eyes widened, her sapphire eyes shining behind her tears.

_Tomoe-san…you understood all along?_

"But I want to win in a particular way" murmured Kaoru.

"That way is no longer available" whispered Tomoe softly. "I'm sorry Kaoru-chan, but I cannot give him up for you…I'm so sorry…"

"I understand that you love him, and I don't want to stand in the way of your love" murmured Kaoru softly. "I just never realized that you noticed I was heartbroken. Kenshin didn't…"

"Kenshin's extremely dense" said Tomoe with a smile. "But there are emotions only women can sense…"

"So what are you trying to tell me?" asked Kaoru softly. "About my situation?"

"I'm begging you to move on Kaoru-chan" whispered Tomoe. "I know how it feels to fall in love with someone only to be spurned, but I met Kenshin, and he healed my pain. I want you to meet someone who can ease your pain, heal the wounds Kenshin and I have inflicted upon you…"

"The wounds are not your fault, they are mine" said Kaoru firmly. "I was foolish enough to assume that Kenshin would love me…but if I was to move on, who would I approach?"

"What do you believe when you think of love?" asked Tomoe.

"I believe that there is one person out there for everybody. It's just the matter of meeting the person that we must take into our own hands" replied Kaoru softly.

"And perhaps Kenshin was not the one for you" whispered Tomoe. "Perhaps there is someone else…"

"But who?" murmured Kaoru.

"This may not be the best of solutions, but at least it is a suggestion" replied Tomoe with a smile. "I was thinking of Enishi."

"Me? Date Enishi?" asked Kaoru incredulously.

"And what's wrong with my brother?" asked Tomoe with a raised eyebrow.

"Nothing, nothing at all!" answered Kaoru hurriedly, trying to appease Tomoe. "But Enishi and I are just friends!"

"And isn't friendship the first step towards love?" asked Tomoe curiously, a smile spreading across her face. "Kaoru-chan, who knows, he might be the one destined for you! There may be one person out there for everybody, but you may not see your person immediately. You may have to suffer heartbreak before finding your special person, and who knows? Maybe he'll be the one who has stood by your side the whole time."

Kaoru smiled softly.

"I'll think about it" she replied. She quickly settled into her fighting stance with a wide grin on her face. "But now, I'm definitely ready!"

Tomoe smiled and charged immediately. However, this time Kaoru was prepared, and she lashed out with a solid defense. Within half an hour, both women sat on the ground, panting heavily, neither one able to defeat the other.

"It's a draw…" replied Tomoe weakly.

"So it is" answered Kaoru, shakily rising to her feet. Suddenly, they heard a crash, as if the walls were falling down.

"Who could that be?" whispered Tomoe softly. "It's training! Who could possibly take this session that seriously?"

"Enishi!" yelled Kaoru suddenly.

"Kenshin!" murmured Tomoe, rushing out of the room, Kaoru right at her heels.

* * *

Enishi glared at Kenshin behind the dark shades of his, not willing to allow a shred of kindness to reach this man, despite the fact that he was the best friend of his crush, and the husband of his sister.

_You ruined it all…you took oneesan away from me, you took Kaoru away from me…what more could you possibly do to ruin my life?_

"You should remove those shades Enishi" said Kenshin quietly. "They'll hamper you in the battle."

"Don't tell me what to do Himura!" spat Enishi angrily. "Don't try to give me any advice!"

"What have I done to you Enishi?" asked Kenshin. "I know that Tomoe was a mother to you, but I really do love her, and I try to keep her happy-"

"You will never be good enough for Oneesan!" yelled Enishi furiously, charging at Kenshin with his sword, forcing Kenshin to apply all his strength just to push Enishi away from him.

"Let me tell you a story Himura" replied Enishi with a wry grin, ready to charge again, his sword gleaming in front of him.

"Once upon a time, there was a young boy who's mother died while giving birth to him, leaving him and his older sister motherless. His father tried his best to raise his daughter and son, but when the son was only ten, and the daughter only fifteen, the father was killed by a hitokiri."

Enishi's eyes burned with fury and fire as he charged at his foe yet again. Kenshin parried the blow, jumped over Enishi, and using the sheath of his sword, pushed against Enishi with maximum force, throwing Enishi against the wall. Enishi merely grinned and stood up yet again.

"That was a good blow brother-in-law" he complimented. "But perhaps we should refrain from fighting until the story is done, agreed?"

Enishi sheathed his sword, motioning for Kenshin to do the same.

"Enishi, maybe we should just begin training" said Kenshin quietly.

"Not until the story's done" replied Enishi coolly.

"Of course, the daughter became a mother and father to the young boy, and soon, he began to treasure his sister so dearly that he was afraid she would be stolen from him unexpectedly. She became a reporter at the mere age of eighteen in order to support her younger brother, and she discovered that the hitokiri was still alive. She and her boyfriend plotted to end the hitokiri's life, but the boyfriend suddenly disappeared during their mission, and she came face to face with the hitokiri. She was ready to murder him, ready to end his life, when his sweet, fake words brought her to his side, and in spite of herself, she fell in love with him."

Enishi glowered angrily, and his hand began inching towards his sword. Kenshin's watchful eyes did not miss this tiny movement, and Kenshin too, prepared to charge.

"Very attentive Battousai" spat Enishi in disgust, as if saying the name was like contaminating his mouth. "He quit his job as an assassin for her, and he proposed to her four years later. She accepted his proposal happily, but was informed the next day that she would have a six year job in Africa. She and the hitokiri promised to stay together during those six years through means of letters, emails, and conversations, and she left.

Her brother however, was furious with the turn of events. His sister was stolen from him by an assassin with dirty hands, hands caked in disgusting and filthy blood. He did not deserve such a pure woman, but the brother saw the happiness in his sister's eyes, and chose to try to bear the pain. However, it only got worse when the assassin stole yet another pure woman's heart."

"Oro?" asked Kenshin confusedly. "I was engaged to Tomoe! I didn't fall in love with someone else!"

"You stole her heart!" yelled Enishi angrily, whipping out his sword. "And after you, I had no chance! But now, I won't let you ruin my life!"

He charged furiously at the redhead, who immediately sank into a stance of defense. Just as their swords were about to clash, a loud crashing sound arrived to their ears, causing them to drop their swords in surprise.

"What was that?" muttered Enishi under his breath.

"I don't know, that I don't" said Kenshin, more confused than before.

Suddenly, the door to their training room slammed open, and Hiko, Okita, Aoshi, Sanosuke, Tokio, Kaya, Megumi, Tomoe, Kaoru, Okina, Omasu, Okon, Shiro, and Kuro all came bombarding through the door.

"Kenshin! Enishi!" they cried out in unison, but suddenly stopped in their tracks.

"What the hell are all of you doing here?" growled Enishi.

"We thought it was you and Kenshin who made all that racket!" Kaoru exclaimed.

"But looking at this room, I don't see any signs of a powerful struggle…multiple cracks in the wall, but they couldn't have possibly been the source of that loud crash…" murmured Tomoe.

"So, where is that racket coming from?" asked Megumi curiously.

"All of us are down here!" exclaimed Okita with a shrug.

Another crash was heard, much louder than the first one, forcing Kaya to cover her ears.

"Not all of us are down here" said Aoshi suddenly and sharply. "Where's Miyana?"

"And where's Saitou?" asked Tokio curiously.

"SHIT!" yelled Hiko, turning away suddenly and running upto Miyana and Saitou's training room, everyone trailing behind him.

* * *

"Hello Sagara Miyana."

Miyana flinched as she met Saitou's cool amber eyes (slightly hidden by the cloud of smoke from his cigarette), but her eyes were just as defiant and cold as his were.

"And a good day to you too Saitou-san" she replied softly, although her eyes betrayed the polite greeting. Saitou grinned and dropped his cigarette on the floor, smoldering the orange glow with the tip of his foot.

"It has been a year since I last interrogated you" said Saitou coolly. "But I'm not satisfied with the pathetic verdict of the jury. There is something suspicious about that murder scene that is directly linked to you."

"I told you everything I knew" replied Miyana quietly. "I personally don't care for this nonsense. I was told that today was a training session, not an interrogation."

Saitou suddenly remembered something he had once heard Sanosuke say.

**_"Miyana used to be so cheerful and optimistic, but now…now her smile has disappeared from sight. But you can still tell she's the same Miyana. That stubborn streak and determination still radiates from her…"_**

_The ahou's right I suppose…but could a violent fight break that stubbornness of hers?_

"Alright then, I'll begin!" yelled Saitou, launching into a Gatotsu, hurling towards Miyana at a frightening speed. She ducked as quickly as she could and suddenly received a powerful blow on her head, hard enough to cause bleeding, but thankfully not unconciousness. Saitou laughed as he spun on his heel, his grin growing more wild and sinister by the moment.

"You are just as weak as Battousai" he chuckled, suddenly switching back to his Gatotsu stance, poised and ready for attack.

"Perhaps I'm weaker if not just as weak as Himura-san" replied Miyana. "But I will never lose to you if you still believe that I'm a murderer! I will fight until I drive into your brain that I am innocent!"

"Then fight this!" yelled Saitou, charging at her once again, anticipating that she would try a different technique to avoid his deadly blade. However, she ducked at an even faster speed than the first time, and before he could react, she spun around, the back of her sword connecting with his neck and hurtling him against the solid wall.

"That's a very good blow" muttered Saitou, lifting himself up from the rubble that had fallen from the wall, brushing himself off. "But still not good enough!"

He went hurtling towards her so quickly that she barely had enough time to raise her sword and block his sword from cutting across her neck. He applied pressure, trying to push her own sword into her own neck, his grin growing wider as he began to make progress.

"So, how does it feel for a murderer to be murdered, I wonder?" asked Saitou coldly. Miyana's eyes flashed with fury.

"I wouldn't know, because I'm not a murderer!" shrieked Miyana, gaining a new burst of strength, enough to push Saitou away from her and jump up, rebounding against the ceiling and landing on the floor behind Saitou. He whirled around only to be knocked into the wall once again, this time eliciting a huge crash as the wall collapsed due to the force of the blow.

"I'm not a murderer!" whispered Miyana. "I'm not!"

She tucked some stray hairs behind her ears as Saitou rose once again, and for the first time, he realized that details that he hadn't seen before.

_Why does she have bandages on her palms? Bruises on her wrist…and neck? What was she doing last night?_

"Care to explain how you injured yourself?" asked Saitou coolly. "Why do you have bandages and bruises all over?"  
Miyana's eyes widened in shock as her eyes immediately traveled to her hands, running over the wounds she had received the night before.

_I can't say anything about Shinomori-san…not until I talk to Shinomori-san himself!_

"I burned my palms on the stove" whispered Miyana weakly.

"And once again, you are lying!" yelled Saitou, delivering a powerful blow, sending her into the wall across from him, demolishing yet another wall as she crashed against it.

"You're a liar" replied Saitou simply. "But one day, I'll unveil these lies of yours."

"And you won't find anything different from what I am saying" whispered Miyana coldly. "I'm telling the truth Saitou-san…why can't you see that?"

The door suddenly slammed open and both Miyana and Saitou turned around to see the whole group congregated in front of the room.

"Oh Kami!" whispered Tokio softly, staring at the demolished walls and then looking at both Saitou and Miyana's disheveled states.

"This was a training session!" insisted Okina angrily. "Saitou, Miyana, what the hell were both of you doing?"

"Training" replied Saitou simply, sheathing his sword and glaring at Miyana as she rose to her feet and sheathed her sword as well.

"Then why in the world are two walls demolished?" asked Tomoe incredulously.

"Stop the questioning" replied Hiko quietly. "Okina, I think our experiment was a failure. Come Miyana." He took her arm and walked away with her, everyone's eyes locked on him.

"What experiment was this?" asked Kaya softly.

"Tokio, Saitou, you two need to come with me" said Okina quietly, ignoring Kaya's question completely. "The rest of you, you are dismissed. We shall have another training session tomorrow."

Okina walked out, Tokio and Saitou following him silently, leaving behind many surprised adults.

* * *

"Miyana, what the hell happened in there?" questioned Hiko roughly. "What were you and Saitou doing? Didn't either of you realize how deadly your blows were?"

Miyana remained silent, staring at the sun ahead of her. Hiko practically lost his patience and grabbed her by the shoulders, shaking her slightly.

"Miyana, are you even listening to me?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm listening to you Hiko-san!" insisted Miyana, slightly upset and angry. "I'm listening, and I know that Saitou-san and I weren't training, but fighting!"

"Then why didn't you stop it?" asked Hiko, releasing her.

"Because he won't believe the truth" replied Miyana simply. "I've explained it to him, begged him to see the truth, done everything in my power just to make him understand the circumstances, but he won't even listen to them. The only option I had left was to fight him."

"That isn't like you Miyana" murmured Hiko quietly.

"It's not like before Hiko-san" whispered Miyana. "I can't just smile and make all this pain in my heart go away…It sometimes takes pain to end pain…"

Miyana turned and fled from Hiko, leaving him standing there on the sidewalk. He watched as she disappeared from his sight before turning around to talk to Okina.

* * *

"So, what happened Saitou?" asked Okina tiredly. "Why did you fly at her in a rage?"

Saitou scowled as he withdrew a cigarette from the depths of his pockets, deftly lighting it before answering Okina's question.

"You know exactly why I loathe that girl" replied Saitou evenly. "She's a liar, a murderer, a-"

"That's enough!"

Both Saitou and Okina turned to see Tokio's eyes burning with fury.

"Hajime, she was in the police station, she was in jail for a whole month, suffering multiple interrogations, she was tried in court, and she still came out innocent!" insisted Tokio. "What more proof do you need of her innocence? I don't want to hear these words out of your mouth again!"

She flew up from her seat and slammed the door behind her. Saitou immediately put out his cigarette and chased after her, almost slamming into Hiko on his way out of the door. Hiko watched both of them disappear down the stairs before seating himself in front of Okina.

"I take it you didn't have the discussion?" asked Hiko with a raise of his eyebrow. Okina shook his head with a sigh.

"I think we need to switch around the partners" he muttered.

"So what do you propose?" asked Hiko curiously.

"Tokio, Kaya, Megumi can stay together, so can Tomoe and Kaoru, but Enishi and Okita are going to be a new pair, so are Miyana and Himura, and I think you and Saitou can become partners."

"What about Shinomori and Sagara?" asked Hiko, nodding in approval of the new arrangement.

"They were bickering a fair amount too, and I think Sanosuke needs to work with people who use brute force rather than swordsmanship, so I might let Hanya and Aoshi train together, and Shikijou can train with Sanosuke. Beshimi and Hyottoko like to be left to their own devices, and that will leave me free to train with the Oniwabanshuu" murmured Okina. "I guess our experiment was a complete failure, huh?"

"Yes, but they are going to have to learn to get along with these people when we determine groups…" said Hiko with a sigh.

"We'll see what happens when the time comes" said Okina tiredly. "Hopefully, it turns out for the best."

* * *

"So, we're on for coffee tonight, right?"

Okita grinned as he kissed Kaya softly on the cheek that was uninjured. "Yeah, after a long night after police duties, coffee would sound wonderful! I just wish I didn't have to work today! I would've loved to spend our last summer days together" he replied, slightly wistful as he approached the door of the police station.

"Are you sure you're alright?" asked Okita softly, his hand resting on the handle of the door.

"Soushi, I've been away for four years. I'm pretty sure I should be able to handle a few hours of separation!" said Kaya with a soft laugh.

"I didn't mean these few hours, I meant your cheek" replied Okita quietly.

"Oh Soushi, it doesn't hurt anymore!" said Kaya with a giggle. "It'll heal!"

"But will the wounds my parents gave you ever heal?" murmured Okita. Kaya smiled gently and kissed Okita on the cheek gently.

"Soushi, one day they'll acknowledge our relationship, I'm sure of it!" she whispered softly in his ear. "We just have to wait…"

"I guess" replied Okita with a smile. "Oh boy, this day is going to be such a drag. Saitou-san said something about paperwork…if I'm dead when you arrive, can you just cremate me instead of preparing a funeral?"

"Don't worry Soushi, I'll be here at ten o'clock sharp to rescue you!" called out Kaya with a grin, waving as Okita opened the door disappeared into the building. As soon as her eyes could no longer glimpse Okita, she immediately hailed a taxi.

"Where to ma'am?" asked the taxi driver, slightly bored.

Kaya quickly withdrew the fan from her purse and quickly pulled out the slip of paper she had found nestled in the delicate folds last night. She unraveled it hurriedly and quickly scanned the contents.

"Mishima Café please" replied Kaya softly. The taxi driver nodded and she carefully stepped inside, trying to avoid disheveling her appearance in any way. He immediately made his way to the Café, not attempting to have a conversation with Kaya, who was deeply lost in her own thoughts.

_Soushi…should I have told you? But it said not to tell you, and after yesterday…I don't want to make you suffer like you did yesterday!_

_Like it or not, I must do this!_

She carefully fiddled with her fan and smoothed out her jeans, trying to make them look as presentable as she possibly could, before moving on to her soft blue blouse.

"Ma'am, we're here" replied the taxi driver. Kaya thanked him and paid him with a generous tip before stepping out of the taxi.

"Hello Kaya-dono."

Kaya looked up in surprise to see Hakujin, the servant from the Hishimoto Mansion, greet her with a wide smile before offering his arm. She accepted it politely, but confusion swirled about in her eyes. Hakujin chuckled slightly.

"Kaya-dono, Mishima Café is a rather elegant area, and mostly couples arrive here. This is simply a ruse. Anyways, she's waiting inside, so let's head in" whispered Hakujin, steering her towards a secluded table in a lush garden.

"Kimana-san, Kaya-dono has arrived" announced Hakujin quietly, bowing politely in front of the woman. She nodded her head gently towards Hakujin and then turned to Kaya, whose eyes widened in surprise.

_The ice that reigned in those eyes yesterday…it's melted…and for some reason, she seems so much calmer, more relaxed…more…kind and motherly?_

"Kaya-kun, please take a seat" said Kimana softly, her voice lilting and musical, unlike the harsh voice Kaya had been greeted with yesterday. Kaya sat down, slightly wary, but smiled politely.

"Good afternoon" said Kaya softly, greeting the woman with a smile.

"A good afternoon to you too Kaya-kun" said Kimana with a nod of her head. "Would you like some tea?"

"Kimana-san, I don't mean to be rude, but why did you leave me a letter in the fan, asking me to come here?" asked Kaya softly. "I'm very sorry for being so frank, but I'm extremely confused."

"You have a right to be" replied Kimana with a nod. "I wasn't exactly hospitable yesterday now, was I? Does your cheek still hurt?"

"Not at all" whispered Kaya, fingering the swollen and red cheek gingerly.

"I'm sorry" murmured Kimana. "I'm terribly sorry. There was a matter I wanted to discuss with you, but yesterday was neither the time nor the place."

"What was it?" asked Kaya, dreading to hear the answer.

"Do you love Okita?"

Kaya looked up in surprise, shocked to realize that this was the only question Kimana was asking. Deep in Kimana's eyes lay pain, hurt, joy, and care, swirling about in the two single orbs.

"What do you mean, do I love Soushi?" whispered Kaya with a small laugh. "I will always love Soushi, and I could never, ever get rid of my love for him!"

Kimana smiled, her eyes brimming with tears of joy. "Then, I accept you as my daughter-in-law" whispered Kimana happily. "But you must promise me one thing."

"Yes?" asked Kaya inquisitively.

"You shall never tell Okita of this meeting, or any future meetings."

Kaya's eyes filled with surprise once again, and Kimana sighed.

"What you saw yesterday was an act on my behalf. I have been an actress since the first day of marriage" whispered Kimana.

"I don't understand" murmured Kaya. "What do you mean, you've been an actress since the first day of marriage?"

"Kimana-san, your chauffer will be here to pick you up in twenty minutes" said Hakujin politely. "Perhaps we can reveal the details to Kaya-dono later."

"No, she needs to hear the story today" said Kimana sternly. "I owe her that much, at least."

Kimana drained the little tea that remained in her cup before beginning her story.

"Women, in this world of politics, are merely nothing more than pawns for their fathers. They are used to create alliances among families and businesses, despite their own hopes and dreams. And that's exactly what happened to me…at the age of eighteen, my father married me off to Hishimoto Shiroji."

"When you were just eighteen?" whispered Kaya softly. "That young?"

"My father wanted the marriage to occur as soon as possible. That way, his business could reap all the benefits of Hishimoto Incorporated. Shiroji was a perfect gentleman the first year, and I really felt I could love him. But after Okita was born…our lives were ruined…"

Kimana's voice began to grow thick with unshed tears, but before Kaya could offer any gesture of comfort, Hakujin placed his hand on Kimana's shoulder, offering her his comfort and support. Kimana smiled softly at Hakujin, and Kaya's eyes widened as she stared at the two of them.

_Does he...yes, I think he does!_

"Kimana-san, if you feel uncomfortable, perhaps we should halt the story" replied Kaya softly. "I don't want to see you cry…"

"You need to know" murmured Kimana-san, wiping her eyes hurriedly with the corner of her handkerchief. "Anyways, Shiroji wanted to raise Okita to become our successor, while I wanted to raise Okita to follow his dreams. Shiroji and I argued, and I suddenly realized exactly who I had married – I had married a businessman, one who thought nothing of his family, only viewed his family members and closest friends as assets. I died inside that night, and I didn't want Okita to live this life. I hardened myself, and I drove him away from our family. He grew up hating us passionately because of the actions I took to drive him away. He began to stay away from the house for weeks during high school, staying with his friends and only coming home to grab fresh clothes. One day, I found out that a couple had housed him as if they were his own parents. I was so happy that he found people he could live his life with. But Shiroji grew furious, and he had someone forge Okita's signature on some documents…"

"What documents are these?" asked Kaya curiously.

"This is where I need your help" whispered Kimana. "Okita knows nothing of these documents, and Shiroji would harm Okita if he knew I was revealing this secret to you. The documents state that Okita is not allowed to separate himself from the Hishimoto Estate, and when he turns twenty-five, he shall be engaged to Maeda Ririka, his childhood friend…"

Kaya's eyes filled with tears.

_Soushi…you're supposed to be engaged to someone else…_

"It hasn't happened yet Kaya" said Kimana sharply. "Don't lose hope! Okita does not turn twenty-five for a few more months, and until then, we can fight against this contract. That is why I need you to help me. I cannot help Okita, I don't have the power or the strength to help the son I drove away from my own house, but you have the power to help him. You are the woman closest to him, and I want you two to end up together, because you make him happier than I've ever seen him…"

Kimana started to tear up again, and Kaya reached over to grasp the older woman's hand. Kimana looked up in surprise.

"My mother once said that it was every mother's dream to see her child happy" whispered Kaya through her own tears. "And I want to help you achieve that dream. I'll help you for sure!"

Kimana smiled softly and suddenly rose and embraced Kaya, tears running down her cheeks. Kaya's own cheeks were slightly dampened from the tears as they broke away, a smiled on both of their faces.

"Thank you Kaya…I'm eternally grateful to you" whispered Kimana.

"Oh no, don't say that!" exclaimed Kaya. "I'm so thrilled that I can help you after all those years of suffering. It's my pleasure…"

Suddenly, Hakujin cleared his throat. Kimana turned to see sheepish smile on his face.

"I'm sorry Kimana-san, but I must insist you leave now. Hishimoto-san has invited you for lunch, and he will become rather suspicious if you aren't punctual" said Hakujin politely.

"I guess you're right Hakujin" replied Kimana softly. "Kaya, I hope to see you again soon, and I hope you and Okita have a wonderful life together. I will do everything in my power to keep you together…"

"Thank you" whispered Kaya with a smile.

"It's the least I can do for my son" said Kimana gently. "Goodbye."

She left hurriedly and stepped into her limo. Hakujin shut the door behind her and stood at the edge of the sidewalk as she drove away. Kaya looked up at him and smiled.

"What?" asked Hakujin curiously.

"You like Kimana-san" said Kaya with a grin. "Admit it Hakujin-san!"

Hakujin turned bright red and Kaya giggled.

"So you do like her!" she exclaimed. "Why don't you tell her?"

"Are you kidding me?" yelled Hakujin. "She's a married woman!"

"You need to be honest about your feelings" replied Kaya. "You can't hide them forever!"

"Hey, I've hid them for twenty years, I can still hide them!" insisted Hakujin. Suddenly, before Kaya could retort again, the cell phone in Hakujin's pocket rang. He answered it gratefully.

"Hello?" he asked. A silence fell upon both Kaya and Hakujin as the voice on the other side of the phone spoke rapidly until Hakujin hung up the phone, a disgruntled look on his face.

"I better leave Kaya-dono" replied Hakujin politely. "Would you like a ride anywhere?"

"No thanks" said Kaya softly. "Thank you Hakujin-san, and I hope that one day, you shall act on your feelings…"

Hakujin turned red and walked away, leaving behind Kaya, who stood there with a small smile on her face.

_Kimana-san…you might receive a new love in your life…and I wish for that with all my heart…

* * *

_

"Tokio!"

Tokio turned around, her eyes an icy blue as she met the gaze of her husband. Amber clashed with blue as the two of them fought with their eyes, full of defiance and stubbornness.

"You had no right to fight with Miyana like that" said Tokio sharply. "For heaven's sakes Hajime, she's a woman! She's so young, and you lashed out at her!"

"You think justice applies to only men?" asked Saitou angrily. "Tokio, my justice spares no one, not even a girl who can fake her own emotions!"

"What makes you so sure she's fake Hajime?" asked Tokio. "Hajime, I researched about her before we interrogated her. She was in jail for a whole month, she was tried in court, and they still found her innocent! What more proof do you need?"

"Her court case was the weakest I had seen in years" muttered Saitou angrily. "Tokio, I know she's lying…that man she murdered was-"

"I'll tell you what Hajime" interrupted Tokio, her anger cooling down as she realized that their arguing was leading to nowhere. "You and I will not speak of this matter anymore until you bring some kind of substantial proof that she is guilty. Agreed?"

"Agreed" replied Saitou a bit sullenly. Tokio rolled her eyes and kissed him on the cheek gently.

"Not on the streets" muttered Saitou.

"No one's here" whispered Tokio with a smile. "I think I can get away with it…"

Saitou grinned as Tokio laughed and entered the police station, Saitou following right behind her.

* * *

Enishi rolled his eyes as he watched Sanosuke and Megumi disappear into a café. Kaoru, on the other hand, was simply smiling as she watched the two of them enter the café with love displayed in their eyes.

"They make such a wonderful couple, don't they?" said Kaoru with a laugh.

"I still think Megumi could've done better" muttered Enishi with a grin, earning himself a punch from Kaoru. He grimaced from the pain of the petite girl's fist.

_Honestly, where does all that strength come from?_

"Wow, Sano's right, your punches do hurt" said Enishi with a laugh. "Fine, the Rooster and Megumi make a good couple, alright? I was just joking before!"

"It's so strange though…" murmured Kaoru. "It's the least likely couple…"

"Well, if you work hard at a relationship, more often than not, it will probably live" said Enishi with a shrug. "No matter which two people share that relationship."

Kaoru stared out the window quietly, listening to Enishi's words and taking them in.

"_And isn't friendship the first step towards love?_ _Kaoru-chan, who knows, he might be the one destined for you!_"

Tomoe-san…could you possibly be correct? Could Enishi really be the one for me?

_I'll never know unless I try, right?_

"Kaoru? Kaoru, are you okay?"

Kaoru shook her head slightly and turned to Enishi to see a confused and perplexed look surface on his face.

"Enishi, I'm fine" replied Kaoru. "Sorry for worrying you there earlier. I was just thinking about what you said…"

"What? That any two people could make a relationship work if they tried hard enough?" asked Enishi.

"Yes" said Kaoru with a smile. "Those words…"

Enishi and Kaoru remained silent for a minute, both a bit apprehensive about bringing up the subject on their minds. Finally, Enishi cleared his throat.

"Kaoru…do you think that maybe…you'd like to come to the karaoke bar with me tonight?" asked Enishi curiously.

"As in a date?" asked Kaoru softly.

"Yes" replied Enishi hurriedly.

_Please say yes…please say yes…_

Tomoe's soft words from the morning and Enishi's words from just now suddenly replayed in Kaoru's head, and she answered Enishi with a smile.

"Alright" she agreed. "It's a date."

Enishi broke out into a wide grin. "Alright then! I'll pick you up at nine!"

Kaoru couldn't help but grin upon seeing Enishi's enthusiasm, and before she stepped out of the car, something inside her led her to impulsively kiss Enishi lightly on the cheek.

"I'll see you at nine!" she exclaimed, running into the Akabeko with a wave of her hand, not able to see the surprised glance that Enishi hid behind those shades of his.

* * *

Aoshi leaned against the bookcase, calmly waiting for Miyana to arrive at the bookstore.

_I need to apologize to her…but more importantly, I need to find out how much she learned from my random comments…_

"Hello Mr. Shinomori! Are you waiting for Miyana?"

Aoshi turned around to see Minabe Mika, the owner of the bookstore, greet him with a smile, and he greeted her with a polite nod of his head. Mika was pleased to see that Miyana had a friend, and she always greeted him with a smile, thankful that he spent at least some time with the seemingly lonely girl.

"Where is Miyana?" asked Aoshi curiously.

"She called in sick today" answered Mika. "She really didn't sound so good either…rather shaky if you ask me…"

"Do you have her address?" asked Aoshi.

"I do" replied Mika with a grin, whipping out a slip of paper and scrawling an address on it, perfectly thrilled that someone would be able to visit Miyana. "Please send my regards to her, and tell her that I hope she feels better soon!"

Aoshi nodded in response and walked out the bookstore wordlessly.

* * *

"Alright Kitsune, what did you want to talk about now?" asked Sanosuke with a grin, digging into his fairly huge lunch while Megumi delicately picked at her salad, staring as Sanosuke with well-shielded disgust.

"Geez tori-atama, you don't need to inhale your food!" said Megumi with a grin.

"Don't change the subject!" said Sanosuke hurriedly.

"Alright…well, lately, I've had the urge to play matchmaker…and I think there are two couples worth my time!" said Megumi with a smile, her dark eyes sparkling with delight.

"So who are the lucky people in these couples?" asked Sanosuke carelessly, downing his soda.

"Kaoru and Enishi" said Megumi slowly, unsure of Sanosuke's opinion on this couple.

Sanosuke nodded in assent, and Megumi continued.

"Miyana and Aoshi" she finished triumphantly, turning to Sanosuke.

She suddenly ducked under the table as a stream of soda came flying towards her. Luckily, she escaped the sticky substance and instead, a very disgruntled waiter threw his tray down in anger and stalked off, dripping with soda, ignoring Sanosuke's sheepish and apologetic grin.

"Miyana and Aoshi? Miyana and Ice-man? Miyana and Shinomori?" sputtered Sanosuke, his eyes wide and confused.

"You have way too many nicknames for Aoshi" replied Megumi with a roll of her eyes. "Perhaps you should spend your free time doing something more substantial than making up nicknames."

"This isn't about me!" exclaimed Sanosuke. "I don't think Miyana and Aoshi are good for each other. He's just too cold…and she's…"

"She's not her cheerful self anymore Sanosuke" interrupted Megumi. "And I think that maybe if she opened her heart to someone, she would smile again. Love would be sure to change her, and I really think Aoshi could actually fall in love with her…"

"And what makes you think that Aoshi could fall in love with her?" asked Sanosuke bluntly. Megumi smiled softly.

"Sometimes…they act the same. Cold and indifferent on the outside, but if you look deeply into their eyes…there's the slightest glimmer of sadness, of pain, hidden so deeply inside them that it has become a part of them…"

Sanosuke stared at Megumi, who had simply trailed off.

_I don't know if you realize it Kitsune…but if you look closely at Jou-chan these days…you can see the same hurt, the same pain, hidden so neatly behind that smile of hers…_

No matter how I look at it, I just can't see Miyana and Aoshi together! I just don't think they click!

"What are you thinking about?" asked Megumi softly.

"I still don't agree entirely with Miyana and Aoshi as a couple, but for the time being, I think I want to focus on our relationship more" said Sanosuke with a soft chuckle. Megumi laughed softly as she finished the last of her salad.

"So what do you have in mind tori-atama?" asked Megumi with a grin.

"How about a walk in the park?" said Sanosuke, rising from his seat and standing beside Megumi, his hand outstretched.

Megumi smiled and took his hand gently as he led her outside the café. They had walked about one block before Megumi suddenly realized something.

"Sanosuke, did you pay for lunch?" she asked curiously.

"No, I thought you did!" answered Sanosuke.

"Stupid tori-atama! I'm the girlfriend, why should I pay for lunch! Now we have to go back and apologize!" yelled Megumi angrily.

"Relax, we'll pay them back next time" said Sanosuke with a shrug. "Anyways, we've reached the park, and since I didn't pay for lunch, I can take you on a carriage ride!"

Megumi grinned and kissed Sanosuke on the cheek. "That's so sweet Sanosuke, but do you actually have the money?"

"Of course!" exclaimed Sanosuke, whipping out a few bills and handing them to one of the drivers, who jumped down from his post and graciously opened the door for the both of them.

_Kitsune doesn't need to know that I rifled through the weasel's purse and stole a few bills…_

And all thoughts of Misao went flying out of Sanosuke's head as he and Megumi enjoyed the wonderful carriage ride.

* * *

"That was a wonderful movie Sou-chan!" exclaimed Misao with a grin, stretching out her arms above her head before grasping Soujirou's hand. "Now, we did your activity, and now its my turn to decide what to do!"

"Alright" agreed Soujirou with a grin. "What exactly do you want to do?"

"Dance Dance Revolution!" exclaimed Misao, dragging poor Soujirou to the arcade as he sweatdropped.

_I need to think of an excuse…and quick!_

"Misao-san, I have no money!" insisted Soujirou.

"But I have plenty!" said Misao with a grin, whipping out her purse and rifling through its contents. "Huh…that's strange, some of my money is missing…what's this?" she murmured, her fingers coming into contact with a smooth piece of paper. She pulled it out and her eyes immediately narrowed.

"Rooster-head…you're a dead man!" she growled as she stared at the little note. A little rooster was winking at her, holding up his wing in a thumbs up position, with a little speech bubble containing the words 'Thanks for the cash, weasel!'.

"That's it, we're definitely playing DDR to let off some steam!" exclaimed Misao, pushing Soujirou onto the platform and inserting a few coins before selecting all the options.

Soujirou's heart filled with dread, but after the first two games, he realized he actually enjoyed the game.

_Perhaps I should buy the game myself…it will really help my reflexes…_

He turned to Misao, who was stomping away, a smile on her face, and for a moment, his heart felt as light as snow.

_What's this feeling? I've never felt it before…_

_What's wrong with me lately? What is this girl doing to me?_

_Perhaps I'm just feeling ill...yes, that's probably it...and this game's music is starting to give me a headache..._

_

* * *

_

Aoshi knocked on the apartment door of Miyana, his quiet knocks echoing through the hallway. After waiting for a minute and receiving no reply whatsoever, in exasperation, he began to fiddle with the doorknob, and to his surprise, the door opened.

_She didn't lock her door…what's wrong with her?_

He stepped inside quietly to see Miyana sprawled out on the floor, her black hair billowing out like a fan. His eyes widened as he quickly made his way towards her, feeling for a pulse. He breathed a sigh of relief as he found one, but his relief ended as soon as his hand brushed against her forehead.

_Her forehead's burning hot!_

He immediately began to lift her up, but the moment his arm encircled her shoulders, her eyes fluttered open, and she looked up at him in clouded confusion.

"Shinomori-san…what are you doing here?" she murmured, her hand sliding up to her aching head.

"You were on the floor, and now you have a fever" replied Aoshi simply, helping her rise from the floor. She gratefully accepted his help and shakily rose to her feet.

"I'm sorry for worrying you" she whispered. "Thank you for your help."

"If you think I'm leaving right now, you have to be kidding me" muttered Aoshi firmly. "You are sitting down and telling me why you ended up on the floor."

"You're treating me like a child" said Miyana quietly.

"You're only a year older than Misao" retorted Aoshi angrily. Upon the mention of Misao, Miyana fell silent, still upset about her encounter with the furious girl last night.

"So, why are you not feeling well?" asked Aoshi, rummaging around the kitchen.

"Shinomori-san, what on Earth are you doing in my kitchen?" asked Miyana, completely ignoring his question and rising to pull him away.

"I'm making you something to eat" replied Aoshi simply, pushing her back into her seat.

"Shinomori-san, I believe the owner of the apartment gets to make lunch for the visitor" said Miyana softly.

"And I believe that when someone carries a drunk back home, she shouldn't end up getting strangled and cut on the palms" replied Aoshi shortly.

"You were delirious" whispered Miyana. "It wasn't your fault…"

"I still hurt you, didn't I?" interrupted Aoshi. "Do you go shopping every day?"

"What?" asked Miyana, confused about why Aoshi suddenly changed the subject.

"You have a well stocked cupboard. Did you go shopping every day?" asked Aoshi firmly.

"No" said Miyana, still thoroughly confused with Aoshi's questions.

"So that means you haven't been eating much these past few days?" guessed Aoshi, his eyebrow raised.

"No" whispered Miyana. "I haven't been feeling very hungry lately, and-"

"Well, today, you're going to eat in front of me" interrupted Aoshi in a firm, deciding tone.

"Can I at least make my own food?" asked Miyana. "I feel extremely guilty about making you do all the work."

"Live with it then" replied Aoshi. "I'm making lunch."

The phone suddenly rang out, and Miyana rose to get it, but Aoshi pushed her down on her chair once again.

"Let it go to the answering machine" said Aoshi firmly, effectively cutting off any protests Miyana was about to make. After four rings, the machine began to pick up the message.

"Hey Miyana, Enishi here. I guess you're at work right now. Aoshi told me you worked at a bookstore, but I had no clue which one, so I called you at home. Anyways, great news! I asked Kaoru out, and she accepted! We're going on our first date! Thank you so much for encouraging me to at least ask her! I'll se you later!"

The phone clicked, and a beep signified the end of the message. Aoshi stared at the phone in silence, while Miyana instead, stared at Aoshi quietly, contemplating the confusing emotions clouded by his typical coldness, trying to penetrate through his icy exterior to determine his emotions.

_Shinomori-san…you may not know it yet, but I think you might have feelings for Kamiya-san…_

_But what will happen of Enishi-san if you ever discover your feelings?_

_

* * *

_

**ARGGGGGGGGGGGH!**

**This was not how I wanted to end it, but somehow, this chapter just ended this way! **

**Anyways, Miyana and Aoshi were not sharing a romantic moment, just in case any of you were wondering! There's a reason I put in that little excerpt about Misao being just a year younger. In Aoshi's eyes, Miyana's like Misao - a little sister.**

**Was the Kaya - Kimana situation unexpected? Heehee...**

**Anyways next chapter - Okita and Kaya's coffee, Kaoru and Enishi at the karaoke bar, and...I don't know what else...I'm not that far ahead in planning! (But of course, Aoshi will feature in the beginning of the next chapter!)**

**Ja ne for now! i hope you enjoyed the story, and PLEASE REVIEW!**


	15. Romance And Diabolical Plans

**Disclaimer - Great minds think alike, right? Well, I'll have you know that I came up with the idea of Rurouni Kenshin and helped Watsuki develop into a manga!  
Enishi - You, a great mind? You must be joking!  
Saitou - She's more insane than Shishio and Battousai, that's for sure.  
Kenshin - Hitoezakura-dono has truly lost her mind...  
Aoshi - Such a pity...  
Sanosuke - Don't pick on her! She has food! First let's eat, and then pick on her!  
Hitoezakura - Have any of you realized that I can hear all this?  
All - It was meant for your ears woman!**

**Hitoezakura (sobbing) - Rurouni Kenshin is property of Nohiburo Watsuki, not mine...**

**I LIVE!**

**I have not updated this story since November! I feel so upset!**

**I'M SO SORRY! PLEASE BEAR WITH ME! PLEASE DON'T ABANDON ME!**

**Thus ends the rant of Hitoezakura. Anyways, I am really sorry, but I've been swamped, and then I had writer's block for this particular story (although now I know how I'm going to end it, if it ever ends!)**

**Anyways, I'm so sorry for making you wait so long, but here's the next chapter, and I hope you enjoy it!

* * *

**

HOW IS THIS LOVE?

* * *

Aoshi stared at the phone with a mixture of shock, fury, and, for a mere millisecond, depression. However, his fury and shock overtook that brief moment of depression, so he failed to notice it. Nevertheless, Miyana's watchful eyes managed to detect and discover what Aoshi failed to understand.

_He's jealous…deep inside him, he's starting to feel something for Kaoru, and if it gains power, he will eventually fall in love with her…Enishi-san, please, take the chance while you can and tell Kamiya-san of your feelings! Before it's too late, take that chance…_

Miyana rose from her seat silently and placed a hand on Aoshi's shoulder. He whirled around, slightly surprised, but said nothing.

"Shinomori-san, are you alright?" asked Miyana softly.

"They are destroying the sanctity of friendship" growled Aoshi. "They are going to ruin their lives by falling in love with each other…"

"Shinomori-san, do you really think that falling in love with a friend will result in betrayal?" asked Miyana insistently. "Perhaps friendship can strengthen love!"

**"Aoshi-san…I love you…I never knew when I realized that I loved you more than a friend, but I know that at this very moment, I love you with all my heart! You were once my best friend, but I want to go one step further!"**

**"Are you a fool? Did you really think that this relationship would work out? Shinomori Aoshi, did you really think that this would work? I became your friend just to gain your trust, and then, by becoming your girlfriend, I managed to gain access to all your secrets! But don't call it betrayal! Everything is fair in love and war!"**

Aoshi slowly turned his head to Miyana, revealing his ice blue eyes, colder than Miyana had ever seen them.

"Believe me, falling in love with your friend is the biggest mistake any one can ever make" replied Aoshi. "It never ends happily…I must stop those two fools from making such a huge mistake!"

He immediately began to yank on his trench coat, but before he could step out the door, Miyana grabbed his sleeve.

"Shinomori-san, listen to me!" shrieked Miyana. "Listen to me! It is not a mistake to fall in love!"

"And what happened to you when you fell in love?" retorted Aoshi triumphantly, successfully hitting a nerve. "Why do you never smile anymore? Why have you suddenly seemed so lifeless?"

**"Hey my love…your father would be proud that you've become a murderer, but as for me, I'm just glad that I managed to ruin your life…the same way you've just ruined mine…"**

Miyana's eyes widened in shock, and Aoshi took the opportunity to slip out the door. Miyana immediately recovered and ran out her apartment door just as Aoshi was walking down the stairwell.

"Shinomori-san, maybe our own relationships didn't work out!" yelled Miyana from the top of the stairwell. "But think about all the successful ones! Takani-san and Sanosuke, Hitomi-san and Okita-san! How can you base your ideas on just our relationships? Take these other relationships into consideration before making up such theories about love being betrayal!"

Aoshi looked up with a piercing glare.

"Believe me when I say that I know that neither relationship will last" replied Aoshi coldly, disappearing down the stairs.

"Shinomori-san, you can't just leave that quickly!" muttered Miyana angrily, running back into her apartment and yanking on her coat and shoes before slamming her apartment door and flying down the staircase. "I will make sure that you won't be able to reach that couple!"

_Because even if my own relationship didn't work out, other relationships can, and I will make sure that Enishi-san and Kamiya-san will not go through the same pain I went through!

* * *

_

"So baka deshi, what brings you here?"

Kenshin cringed as Hiko greeted him with his typical greeting.

"Shishou, I'm no longer a student" muttered Kenshin. "Perhaps you can stop calling me one!"

"Fine" replied Hiko with a shrug. "So baka, what brings you here?"

Kenshin fumed angrily as he yanked out the jug of sake from his car. "I came to bring you this jug of sake" he answered with a scowl.

"And?" prompted Hiko. "You never bring me sake unless you want to ask me for a favor, so spill it."

"I want to know more about the conflict between Saitou and Miyana" replied Kenshin firmly. Hiko sighed and let the curious redhead in, pouring them both some sake before sitting down with a groan.

"Why do you wish to know?" asked Hiko curiously.

"Because I have never seen such hatred in Saitou's eyes, and when Miyana fought him, she seemed like such a different person" answered Kenshin.

"I actually don't know why Saitou and Miyana hate each other so much" replied Hiko honestly. "But I can assure you that Miyana is a very different person when she fights. When she fights or when she becomes upset, she becomes extremely cold and sharp, a contrast to her usual soft-spoken behavior."

"Even as a child?" murmured Kenshin.

"Even as a child" answered Hiko. "It was one of the reasons I thought she would become an excellent swordswoman – she was very cold, very sharp, and extremely aware of her surroundings the moment she entered a fight. However, she would never allow her fights to interfere with her emotions. When she fought with a sword, she would be cold, but the moment the fight was over, she would regress to her cheerful self. It's not that she had no remorse, but she didn't suffer when she believed her actions were right."

"Shishou?" murmured Kenshin. "Would Miyana kill if she had to?"

"I have no doubt in my mind that she would" replied Hiko firmly. "She has no such promises holding her back, and unlike you, she is skilled with a deadly katana. She holds no guilt when she kills someone who she believes deserves to die…which is why I sometimes cannot fathom why Saitou and Miyana have a conflict. They are so similar in certain ways. Were she and Saitou in the same situation, they would both kill according to their own justice…which makes me wonder why they cannot stand each other…"

* * *

"You're kidding me!" shrieked Megumi excitedly, swiveling around on her bar stool in excitement. "Are you serious?"

"I kid you not Kitsune" replied Sanosuke with a grin. "He left me a message on my answering machine telling me that he wasn't coming to work today."

"Enishi and Kaoru, on a date?" mused Megumi happily. "This will be wonderful for Kaoru! She's been so depressed ever since Ken-san; it will help if she has fun with Enishi tonight!"

"I suppose, but sometimes, it seems like Enishi isn't the right one for her" murmured Sanosuke. "I know you want to play matchmaker Megitsune, but it just doesn't really compute in my mind…"

"Love can be extremely unexpected sometimes, so why can't this be one of those cases?" asked Megumi curiously.

Sanosuke shrugged, unable to give an adequate answer.

_How can I tell Kitsune that for some reason, Jou-chan doesn't seem to be right for Enishi…_

"Alright, maybe Kaoru and Enishi aren't meant for each other, but what about Aoshi and Miyana?" asked Megumi.

"You have got to be kidding me!" yelled Sanosuke. "The block of ice and Miyana! They have nothing in common!"

"You're thinking about a Miyana from four years ago" replied Megumi quietly. "She's changed tori-atama, and you can't really deny that…"

_She may have changed, but I can tell that her smiles are still there deep inside…and I know for a fact that Ice-man will never be able to coax them out of her…_

"Can we please change the subject?" muttered Sanosuke.

"What do you want to talk about?" asked Megumi, sipping her drink quietly.

"How about doing it in a car?"

"I WILL KILL YOU IF YOU MENTION THAT ONE MORE TIME!"

* * *

_I need some time sort out these thoughts…to figure out how to help Kimana-san and at the same time reveal nothing to Soushi…_

Kaya walked down the streets, weaving her way through the people that crowded the sidewalk as she made her way to her home, since Okita was still at work and would not finish until about ten o'clock, although knowing Okita, he would probably skip out as early as he possibly could. As much as he loved his job as a policeman, he would rather spend time with his fiancé, and had no qualms about dismissing his work for her. It caused a lot of arguing in the Saitou household, where it was usually Saitou against Okita and Tokio, and it always ended with Saitou grumbling about his family while Okita and Tokio rejoiced in victory.

Kaya laughed slightly as she remembered the first time she had witnessed such a fight. It had been her last night in Tokyo before her actress career, and Okita had kindly invited her home for a friendly dinner, since at that moment, he had not yet asked her out. However, Okita had immediately shirked his police duties to help Tokio prepare the dinner, and had of course riled Saitou with his actions. Tokio the mediator stepped in with a smile and insisted that Saitou remain calm after quietly threatening to tell everybody his deepest, darkest secrets. Tokio immediately won the argument, and the rest of the dinner proceeded smoothly.

"What are you laughing about?"

Kaya started and whirled around to meet Hakujin's laughing form. She placed a hand to her heart with a small laugh.

"Hakujin-san, you scared me so badly!" she exclaimed.

"No 'san' business!" insisted Hakujin. "It makes me feel so old! I'm just thirty! Call me Haku, that's what Okita called me all the time."

"Fine then Haku" replied Kaya with a smile, slightly red with embarrassment from being so informal. "I thought you left to complete some job for Shiroji-san?"

"Done" replied Hakujin with a shrug. "He just wanted me to tail Kimana-san as always. He may not care for her, but he certainly wants to make sure that she doesn't release information to the wrong people."

"He sounds like he doesn't trust anyone" whispered Kaya softly. "To not trust your own wife…your own life companion…it must be very lonely leading such a life…"

"You really do always try to see the good side of things, don't you?" murmured Hakujin with a smile. "No wonder Okita loves you so much…"

"Huh?" asked Kaya. "What do you mean?"

"You don't realize how valuable it is to find a person with a personality like yours" answered Hakujin with a wistful grin. "You see Shiroji-san's loneliness, you see his lack of trust, and you pity him for his state, yet you don't see how he was the root cause for this state of his."

_But I dread the day when Shiroji's true character unfurls in front of you…what shall happen to you that day? Will you break down and crumble, or will you stand strong and maintain your courage?_

_I can only hope that the day won't come…because something deep inside tells me that when that day comes, only disaster will come of it…

* * *

_

"Shinomori-san, don't you dare take off without me!"

Aoshi had just mounted his motorcycle and was about to place his helmet on his head when it was suddenly snatched out of his hands by a very livid Miyana.

"Yes?" asked Aoshi coolly, outstretching his hand to snatch the helmet from Miyana. However, she effectively kept it out of his grasp as she glared at him.

"I won't let you do this" replied Miyana quietly. "It is neither yours nor my place to interfere in that relationship now that it has taken another step. Once friendship begins to evolve into something more, interference becomes unwelcome. Please don't do this Shinomori-san."

Aoshi stared silently for a moment as Miyana quietly pleaded through her eyes. His hand suddenly whipped past her and grabbed the helmet from her hands. Before she could even protest, he immediately tossed a second helmet into her hands.

"You know, making me hold another helmet doesn't really help me" answered Miyana with a raise of her eyebrow.

"If you put it on, it helps" countered Aoshi. "And it's even more helpful if you sit on the motorcycle too."

"What?" asked Miyana, thoroughly confused.

Aoshi sighed impatiently and yanked Miyana forward by the wrist, catching her completely off guard, before pushing the helmet onto her head and pulling her onto the motorcycle.

"What are you doing?" shrieked Miyana, desperately trying to climb off the motorcycle, but Aoshi immediately started it and turned his head to look straight into her eyes, which were wide with fear, which confused him.

_Why is she so fearful…it's not as if I'm going to harm her…I thought she was fairly strong, so why does she look like a scared child?_

"Hold on tight!" he called out, shaking his head clear of thoughts before riding at full speed, causing Miyana to scream and clutch his shoulders hard, her fingernails digging through so powerfully that he could feel the pain even through his trench coat.

"Why are you holding on so tightly?" he yelled, confused and annoyed.

"I hate fast moving vehicles!" she answered, her eyes shut tightly as she clutched Aoshi in fear. Despite his annoyance, he had to smile inwardly.

_A girl who has gone through so much…yet she has an irrational fear of fast moving vehicles…_

_This is going to be fun…

* * *

_

"So Sou-chan, what exactly do you want to eat for lunch?" asked Misao excitedly, peering into her menu with interest. "Ordinarily, we would go to the Akabeko, but today, I know Tae will just target us, so here we are in Maekawa's Traditional Cuisine!"

Soujirou smiled as he peered at his menu curiously. "Misao-san, why don't you order for us?"

Misao folded her arms and turned away. "I'm sorry, but I know no one by the name of Misao-san. I know a Misao, but she despises honorifics."

Soujirou laughed at her childish actions and set his menu down. "Alright Misao, you order for us, and meanwhile, I'll have to leave for moment" he answered with a chuckle, motioning to the lavatories in the corner of the restaurant.

"Alright then Sou-chan, be prepared for soba and tempura! Ooh, or maybe Oden! No, wait, Onigiri! Shrimp! Manju!" Misao peered into the menu once again, trying to calm herself and make her choices wisely. Soujirou took the opportunity to disappear into the bathrooms. Just as he shut the door, he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Kamatari-san, what are you doing here?" asked Soujirou curiously, staring at a woman dressed in a very pretty kimono, her hair done exquisitely. She smiled devilishly and wrapped her arms around Soujirou in a gesture of friendship.

"Sou-chan, you and I have a date at eight o' clock with the boss and Nashiya-san from Kurogane Enterprises! No excuses now, and don't spend time searching for dinner or sweets before arriving. Nashiya-san's providing refreshments!" she replied with a wink, releasing Soujirou from her embrace with a giggle.

"What are you doing in the men's bathroom wearing a kimono…that too, Yumi-san's kimono? She's going to be furious with you!" asked Soujirou with a grin.

"Oh well, even though I'm pretty and look like a woman, I'm a man through and through! And anyways, Yumi can stand to be taken down a peg or two. After all, I shall be the one to win Shishio-sama's heart! See you later Sou-chan!" called out Kamatari, waving as he walked out the bathroom, startling the man who was just about to open the door. The door shut as Kamatari sweetly replied "I'm so sorry…but curiosity just overcame me, and I had to have one glimpse of a guy's bathroom", effectively cutting off whatever the man's reply might have been. Soujirou had to laugh.

_I suppose now would be a good time to tell Shishio-sama that his plan is going well…in good time, I might be able to interact with Misao-san's friends, and help him gain the information he needs…_

Soujirou's smile widened as he thought about the success of their mission.

* * *

Kaoru hummed to herself softly as she gracefully skated towards the sink with an armload of dishes, dumping them into the soapy water gently before scrubbing and rinsing them clean.

_I can't believe it! After two years, I've finally accepted a date! And with Enishi, out of all people!_

_Perhaps Tomoe-san's words do hold an ounce of truth…_

"Kaoru-chan?"

Tae's voice caught Kaoru completely off guard and she suddenly swerved to meet the owner's gaze only to fall flat on her back (due to her skates) and drop the plate on the ground, effectively shattering it.

"Tae-san, don't scare me like that!" Kaoru managed to say as she regained her breath, having her wind knocked out of her from the fall. Tae laughed and offered her hand to the fallen girl after ensuring that Kaoru was perfectly fine and had suffered no bruises or damage whatsoever.

"Well, Kaoru-chan, you're extremely distracted today" said Tae with a devilish grin. "Is there anything special going on?"

Kaoru grinned, anticipating Tae's surprise as she disclosed her plans for the night. "Actually Tae-san, Enishi and I are going on a date!" answered Kaoru, flashing a smile at the older woman, who stood there, her mouth agape.

"Are you serious Kaoru-chan?" shrieked Tae excitedly, regaining her voice after a few moments of surprise. "Oh Kaoru-chan, I'm so thrilled! Where's the date going to be? What are you going to wear? What shall you be doing? What shall you be eating?"

As Tae rambled on and on with her endless list of questions, Kaoru couldn't help but sigh.

_Perhaps I shouldn't have told her anything at all…at this rate, I'll be spending the entire night with Tae-san, answering her long list of questions, rather than on the date with Enishi…

* * *

_

Okina sighed as he sat at his desk, composing his new list of training partners. The door to his office suddenly opened to reveal an annoyed Hiko, who promptly sat down with the swish of his cape.

"So much for your intricate plan to help people get along" muttered Hiko with a smirk. "Thanks to you, I had to talk with my baka deshi about Miyana!"

"Was it really that awful to hear Himura question you?" asked Okina incredulously, confused as to why that would annoy Hiko so much.

_Sure, Hiko finds Himura's ideals and past actions a bit irrational, but Hiko wasn't ever this annoyed with Himura…_

"The baka deshi's questioning wasn't that awful" said Hiko quickly, not wanting Okina to get the wrong idea. "It's just all his questions about Miyana. Her drastic change after ten years has me baffled! There's still way too much about the girl that I don't understand yet, and unfortunately, I don't think she'll open up until she wants to."

"That's a problem…why?" asked Okina curiously.

"Because we don't know anything about her! We have no clue whom she might have been involved with, what exactly triggered that whole scandal about her, and what her role truly was in that scandal!" answered Hiko angrily.

"Do you trust the girl?" asked Okina with a sigh.

"I've never known Miyana to choose the wrong path. Her instincts and perceptions are quite sharp," muttered Hiko, extracting a sake jar and a saucer from his cape.

_But how did she end up in a murder scandal? She's never strayed away from righteousness intentionally…but what happened that time?_

"Then for the time being, we can trust her" replied Okina with a grim smile, interrupting Hiko's thoughts. "When the time comes, we shall question her, but right now, we're too shorthanded to actually turn her away from the organization. Now, do you want to see whether this new training sequence shall work out?"  
"Go ahead" replied Hiko with a grin, sipping his sake.

"Alright, during the training, Kaya, Tokio, and Megumi will form one group, and Tomoe and Kaoru will pair up again. Those five did well with their groups. However, you'll be training Enishi, Kenshin and Miyana will train together, and Saitou and Okita will pair up as well."

"What about Sagara and Shinomori?" asked Hiko curiously.

"Sanosuke will work with Shikijou, since the other four Oniwabanshuu are returning tonight" replied Okina with a smile. "Aoshi will work with me. Hanya, Beshimi, Hyottoko, and the other four will work together."

"Sounds like a good plan" mused Hiko. "How are you going to put together the groups when we're protecting the three officials?"

"Well, I've been working on those groups. The Oniwabanshuu and I will scout the area as guards" replied Okina. "However, if the enemy is able to penetrate through our defense, then the groups will work to defend their person. The first group will consist of Kenshin, Tokio, Kaya, and Megumi, and they'll be protecting Katsura. The second group will consist of you, Okita, Enishi, and Kaoru, and they'll be protecting Saigo. The third group shall consist of Saitou, Aoshi, Sanosuke, and Miyana, and they'll be protecting Okubo."

"So you're teaming Saitou and Miyana together again?" asked Hiko with an arched eyebrow. Okina sweatdropped in exasperation.

"Yes, I'm still working on that last group, but I wanted to split all three of the Hiten Mitsurugi people in each group. Plus, the groups are actually very good, and I'd hate to ruin them!" replied Okina with a grin. "We'll see how it works out!"

"I can hardly wait" replied Hiko dryly, sipping his sake.

* * *

"Why are we at a restaurant?" asked Miyana curiously, standing at the entrance with a confused look on her face. Aoshi immediately locked his motorcycle into place and walked up to the woman who simply a few minutes ago had been screaming at him to stop the motorcycle.

_This trip was worth it…I got to see her composure crumble…_

"Suddenly you regained your composure?" asked Aoshi in mock innocence. He was rewarded with a deathly glare from Miyana's icy eyes.

"Answer my question first" she muttered angrily, folding her arms, furious at herself for becoming scared on his motorcycle.

_I can't help it! I've hated fast moving vehicles for my entire life! Sagara-san tried to seat me on an airplane once, but I freaked out at him! And that's why I didn't mind walking away from the Aoiya instead of riding with Enishi-san – I didn't have to deal with his car!_

"Alright, my real reason for bringing you here was to get some food into your system" answered Aoshi honestly, pushing her inside the doorway.

"Why didn't we go to the Akabeko?" asked Miyana. "Wouldn't that have been easier? And it wouldn't have taken such a long time to get there…"

"And of course, you would be able to warn Kamiya before I could" replied Aoshi with a scowl. "How could I say a word to her if you were watching my every move? Now hurry up, I already ordered, and there's already food on the table."

"How did you achieve that?" asked Miyana incredulously.

"Why do you think I hadn't taken off before you reached me at my motorcycle?" muttered Aoshi. "Do you really think I'm that slow?"

"You're really diabolical beneath that icy exterior of yours, aren't you?" said Miyana, an eyebrow arched in amusement as she seated herself at the table Aoshi had led her to. Aoshi sat down across from her.

"Dealing with you certainly required some degree of diabolical planning" answered Aoshi, throwing her a pair of chopsticks.

"Are you saying that I'm difficult?" inquired Miyana in surprise.

"Of course!" replied Aoshi, not a hint of doubt in his voice as he began to chew away at his tempura. "Did you think you were easy to convince and persuade?"

* * *

"Why didn't you let me steal Enishi's car?"

Megumi sighed in exasperation as Sanosuke asked her the same question for the tenth time since they had left the Shirobeko. Enishi had let them leave after making sure that Sanosuke knew he would suffer a slow and painful date if he didn't arrive and work his shift while Enishi was with Kaoru.

_I have to say, once Sae-san returns, Enishi and Sanosuke are going to suffer at her hands. She's going to impose a stricter work schedule on them for sure!_

"Kitsune, answer my question!" begged Sanosuke, grumbling as he expectantly waited for an answer. He was furious when Megumi had refused to help him steal Enishi's car again.

_It was just sitting there in the parking lot! And I would have had to return it so that Enishi could pick up Jou-chan! Why didn't she help me steal it? Walking around is such a bore when you can drive! Plus…there are so many other opportunities in a car, like making out, and doing it, and…_

WHACK!

"OW! Kitsune, what the hell did you do that for?" yelled Sanosuke angrily, clutching his head in pain. "You and Jou-chan seriously need to reevaluate your strength!"

"You deserve that tori-atama!" exclaimed Megumi furiously. "Stop thinking about us doing it in a car! It's not going to happen!"

"I was not thinking about that!"

"Yes you were! You had that weird, dreamy look on your face just now! Don't lie to me Sanosuke, I'm your girlfriend!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Kid, she finally consented to being your girlfriend?"

Both Sanosuke and Megumi immediately swerved around, taken aback by the third voice that had suddenly interrupted their argument. Megumi gasped as she stared at the tall, muscular man in front of her, a slight olive green tinge to his skin as he grinned at her. His brown hair was long and unruly, and his chest was covered with scars.

_I do not like the looks of this guy…_

Megumi instinctively took a step back and glanced at Sanosuke, shocked to see him break out into a grin.

"Hey Shikijou man, what are you doing here?" asked Sanosuke. "And as for Kitsune, I can get any girl I want!"

Megumi immediately forgot all her shock and fear as she immediately whacked Sanosuke in the head again.

"OW! Kitsune, stop whacking me on the head!"

Shikijou burst into laughter and patted Megumi on the shoulder while Sanosuke nursed his bruised head.

"I like you girl!" declared Shikijou with a grin. "This rooster punk really needs a punch in the head! Glad you knocked some sense into him"

"Who are you?" asked Megumi curiously, still a little wary of Shikijou. Shikijou grinned and mock bowed.

"I'm Shikijou, one of the guys in the Oniwabanshuu group!" he exclaimed with a grin. "And the guys behind me are Hanya, Beshimi, and Hyottoko."

"But there are only two people behind you" murmured Megumi, staring at the tiny Beshimi with his unruly hair and the giant Hyottoko with his buck teeth. "Where's the third?"

"Right behind you."

Megumi swerved around in surprise to see a tall, thin man standing behind her, a white, devilish mask resting on his face.

"Sorry to scare you" said the man, a hint of laughter in his voice. "I'm Hanya. The short one's Beshimi, and the giant one's Hyottoko."

Megumi glanced at each of the four men standing in front of her in confusion and finally sighed.

"What a strange group of people you four make" she muttered, shaking her head.

"They are the strangest people you'll find out there Kitsune" said Sanosuke with a grin as he and the other four Oniwabanshuu erupted into laughter.

"Anyways" interrupted Hanya through all the laughter. "We should go to the Aoiya and tell Okina that we've arrived early. Do you think Lord Aoshi will be there?"

"Who knows where the King of Ice is at this moment?" muttered Sanosuke. "But you could always see if he's there at the Aoiya."

"Alright then!" exclaimed Shikijou. "Let's inform Okina that we've arrived! Have fun on your date! And girl, make sure that you pound more sense into your rooster boyfriend!"

Sanosuke scowled as the four men disappeared into the traffic. "One day, I'm going to tell Shikijou to shut up before I pound him again!"

"And if you don't shut up about doing it in a car, I will take up Shikijou's words and will pound some sense into you!" insisted Megumi with a smile.

"But Kitsune, think about it!" pleaded Sanosuke with a grin.

WHACK!

* * *

Misao sighed unhappily as she stepped out of the taxi Soujirou had graciously paid for. She had already ordered when he suddenly popped out of the bathroom, saying that he received a call from his boss and had some urgent work to complete tonight. After hurriedly flagging down the waitress and asking if they could take the order to go, he seated her in the taxi and apologized continuously, which Misao found sweet.

_Of course, that doesn't mean that I'm still fuming at his boss! I can't believe Sou-chan has to work now, out of all times! We were just about to enjoy a romantic dinner when his stupid boss called!_

With a frown, she kicked the door open and stomped into the dark living room of her house, carrying her plastic bag full of food from the restaurant.

"Miss Misao, I thought you would be happy to see us."

Misao's eyes widened in surprise as she stared into the darkness of the living room to see the slight silhouette of four men she had eagerly waited to see.

"Hanya! Shikijou! Beshimi! Hyottoko!" shrieked Misao happily, rushing into the living room (promptly dropping her bag of food, which spilled onto the ground) and hugging each of them tightly. "You guys finally came back! How was your training? You learned any new moves? You better get back to teaching me!"

"Whoa Misao, calm down!" exclaimed Shikijou with a grin. "We're all glad to see you too! So, what have you been up to? Broke any more guys' hearts?"

"I'll have you know that I have a great boyfriend right now!" declared Misao with a huge smile.

"She's growing up!" teased Hyttoko with a laugh, earning himself a punch from Misao. "And she's growing stronger too!" he exclaimed, rubbing his arm slightly. "Wow, your punches are actually starting to prick my skin!"

"So how is Lord Aoshi doing?" asked Beshimi with a laugh. "Is he still in the acting career?"  
"Oh, he hates acting!" exclaimed Misao with a devilish grin. "He's still in the cast of another film where he hates falling in love at first but slowly acknowledges it!"

"Totally against his own beliefs" chuckled Shikijou.

"Even better though, you should see his expression when he argues with Kaoru! I think that's the only time when he comes close to losing his composure! You guys won't be able to resist laughing when you watch them argue!" replied Misao triumphantly, earning a lot of laughs from the four of them.

"Lord Aoshi, losing his composure?" murmured Hanya with a grin. "You're right Miss Misao, I can't wait to see that!"

* * *

"Alright Enishi, we're back."

Enishi raised an eyebrow as he heard Sanosuke enter the bar, sounding less than enthusiastic. He also noted that Megumi was not accompanying Sanosuke.

"What's wrong rooster-head?" asked Enishi. "This is your shift, so you shouldn't complain! You've ditched work plenty already, so stop complaining."

"I know, but it's going to be so boring without Kitsune!" whined Sanosuke, which sounded rather strange due to his deep voice.

"I pity you greatly" replied Enishi in a sarcastic tone.

"Does that mean I don't need to work my shift?" asked Sanosuke hopefully with a cheesy grin.

"I pity you cause you're stupid!" answered Enishi, slapping his forehead in exasperation. "Does that thicket of hair on your head prevent any common sense from entering your skull? Of course you're going to work your shift!"

"If you talk to Jou-chan like this, let me assure you, it's going to be a very short-lived relationship…" muttered Sanosuke grumpily, earning himself a punch from Enishi.

"Consider that my payment to you for making you work tonight!" exclaimed Enishi with a grin. "I pity Megumi; how does she deal with you? And where is she?"  
"Hey, I'm handsome, intelligent, sexy, and great with women!" declared Sanosuke with a triumphant grin. "And Megumi went to Dr. Gensai's; she promised Yahiko, Tsubame, Ayame, and Suzume that she would take them to a movie of their choice."

"You're handsome, intelligent, sexy, and great with women?" asked Enishi incredulously. "Are you kidding me? Handsome, supposedly, but intelligent? No, you have rocks for brains. Sexy? Your gambling, shoveling food into your mouth, and the messy state of your room cannot possibly add up to being sexy. Great with women? Is that why almost all of your relationships ended with some girl slapping you or beating you up?"

"Shut up and get out of here!" yelled Sanosuke angrily.

"My pleasure" replied Enishi with a grin, slipping out of the bar, leaving Sanosuke all alone behind the counter.

* * *

"Can we please play hide-and-seek? Pretty, pretty, pretty please?"

Kaya giggled as she watched her little sister Aika begging to play hide-and-seek in the park. Ryoko was working in her shop today, and Aika, full of energy, had been running around the shop so much that Ryoko begged Kaya to look after Aika for the fear that the eight-year-old might break a valuable object. Kaya had consented, and immediately decided to take her to the park. However, Aika, for some strange reason, had not wanted to play in the playground, and instead, insisted on playing hide-and-seek.

"Alright, alright!" exclaimed Kaya with a grin. "I don't know why you want to play so much. You usually hate that game…oh well, how long do you want me to count for?"

"Count to a hundred!" insisted Aika. "And no peeking!"

Kaya laughed and rested her head against the tree, turning her back to Aika and covering her eyes with her hands.

"Alright then, I'll count. One, two, three, four…"

Kaya heard Aika's footsteps retreating behind her and then she heard the rustling of the bushes nearby. She almost had to laugh.

_I hate to say it, but sometimes, she needs to work on being more discreet…_

"Ninety-eight, ninety-nine, hundred!" yelled Kaya, finished with her counting. "Ready or not, here I come!" she called out, uncovering her eyes and pushing herself away from the tree. However, before she could turn around, she felt a pair of hands cover her eyes.

"Aika, how did your hands manage to reach my head?" asked Kaya curiously.

"Who said it was Aika?"

Kaya laughed as she tried to pull the hands from over her eyes. "Okita Soushi, stop that at once! Saitou-san must be furious at you for skipping work!"

(At that moment, Saitou, glaring at Okita's empty desk, sneezed loudly before turning around and patting his pockets for a cigarette).

"Eh, Saitou-san will get over it" replied Okita with a grin, dropping his hands. "Anyways, I have come to take you and Aika to dinner and a movie! I already asked Ryoko-san!"

"Fooled you!" declared Aika with a laugh, jumping out from behind Okita. "Did you really think I wanted to play hide-and-seek?"

Kaya laughed and lifted Aika before spinning her around in circles. "I must be the luckiest girl alive! I have the best sister, the best fiancé, and the greatest friends I could ask for!" exclaimed Kaya with a grin.

_I'm lucky…but there is a woman out there who deserves this kind of happiness as well…and I'll make sure she receives it!

* * *

_

"Finally!" sighed Kaoru, shutting the Akabeko employee bathroom door behind her and locking it securely. She had just managed to escape Tae's bombarding questions, and she was not about to give Tae another opportunity to question her further. She immediately changed out of her Akabeko waitress uniform and slipped into a pretty sapphire t-shirt decorated with music note, dark blue jeans, and a dark blue jean jacket. She immediately rummaged through her purse for her sapphire tear drop earrings and inserted them into her holes before combing her hair and tying it into her typical high ponytail.

"Alright, I think it looks alright!" exclaimed Kaoru contentedly. Her gaze drifted towards the clock and she suddenly panicked.

"I'm late! Enishi, please don't be too furious!" she cried out, stuffing her Akabeko uniform into a bag and running out of the bathroom. She shoved the uniform into the closet Tae had left open for all the waitresses.

"Have fun Kaoru-chan!" called out Tae with a grin and a wave.

"Thanks Tae!" replied Kaoru, rushing to the door. She yanked the door inwards and ran straight into an unsuspecting Enishi.

"What an interesting way to start a date" said Enishi with a grin, causing Kaoru to blush furiously.

"Mou! Stop teasing me!" exclaimed Kaoru, still very red in the face. Enishi laughed as he escorted her to the car.

"Alright, I'll stop!" replied Enishi with a smile, opening the car door for her. "Are you ready to sing your heart out at the karaoke bar?"

"Sure am!" replied Kaoru. "But more than me singing, I'm interested in find out how you sing!"

Enishi's eyes widened behind his shades. "I'm not singing" he insisted.

"Oh yes you are!" answered Kaoru with a grin. "This is going to be a fun date!"

Enishi groaned as he shut her door and stepped into the driver's seat.

_Why did I mention a karaoke bar? Now I have to sing…oh well, at least I'm with Kaoru!_

_Thank Kami Megumi and Sanosuke aren't there! The tone-deaf couple would've ruined this date!

* * *

_

"So, looks like my plan was successful" declared Aoshi in triumph. "You ate a substantial amount of food."

Miyana rolled her eyes and tried to stab Aoshi's hand with a chopstick. However, he dodged the wooden stick, thus ruining her attempt. He suddenly rose from his seat.

"I'm going to leave for a minute" replied Aoshi, pulling on his trenchcoat and jerking his head towards the direction of the bathroom. "Just wait here and I'll come back and pay the bill, alright?"

"Sure" answered Miyana softly, tucking her hair behind her ears. Aoshi left the table, and Miyana simply sat there for a minute, thoroughly bored, when suddenly, a waitress arrived at her table.

"Ma'am?" she asked curiously. Miyana looked up in surprise.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" replied Miyana. "Could you please just leave the bill here, and my friend will pay for it later?"

"It's already paid" replied the woman. "Your friend told me to leave you this note." The waitress handed her a folded sheet of paper and bowed politely before leaving the table.

"Huh?" murmured Miyana in confusion, unfolding the note.

'I'm going to the karaoke bar to find Kamiya and Yukishiro. Hope you enjoyed dinner.'

"I'm going to kill Shinomori-san!" shrieked Miyana furiously, blushing as the nearby customers stared at her in shock. She immediately grabbed her coat and ran outside in the parking lot only to see Aoshi's motorcycle missing.

_Shoot! I don't even have my purse, so I can't call a taxi and drive there!_

She turned around so that she could step onto the sidewalk but suddenly bumped into an immaculately dressed man with neatly combed brown hair and eyes shielded by glasses, causing her to drop the note that was clenched in her hand.

"I'm sorry sir!" she replied apologetically, trying to regain her balance so that she wouldn't fall.

"Don't worry about it miss" replied the man with a small smile, waving his hand in acceptance before walking past her and stepping into his car. Miyana kneeled down to pick up the note so that she could throw it in the trash. Suddenly, she noticed a wallet on the ground, and in curiosity, picked it up and flipped it open to see if she could find any contact information that would allow her to return it.

_Wait…the picture…this is the man I just bumped into!_

She immediately stood up to call out to him when she realized that his car was already well down the road. She raised her hand to her forehead in exasperation and exhaustion.

_Why does this keep happening to me today? It is really not my day..._

She flipped the wallet open again and glanced at the cards inside, desperately hoping to find some sort of contact information. Her eyes fell upon a business card.

'Nashiya Hidehiko, President of Kurogane Enterprises'.

Miyana scanned the card further until she finally reached a phone number. She rummaged her coat pockets for change and managed to retrieve a few yen before walking to a pay phone, inserting the coins, and dialing the number on the card.

"Kurogane Enterprises. This is Hayakawa Yuki, receptionist speaking. How may I help you?" answered a woman in an apathetic and bored tone.

"I'm sorry to bother you, but I have Nashiya-san's wallet here with me. He dropped it outside the Kiyoko's restaurant. Is it possible for you to tell me how I can return it?" asked Miyana politely.

"Can you hold?" asked Yuki.

Miyana stood there at the phone (and inserted a few more coins to make sure that the phone would continue to work) when Yuki came back to the phone.

"Alright miss, could you just stand on the sidewalk near the bus stop? Someone will come and pick up the wallet. Thank you for informing us."

"Thank you" replied Miyana, hanging up the phone and walking to the bus stop. About a minute later, a black car arrived and screeched to a stop in front of her. Two men stepped out of the car, each showing her an ID card that confirmed their identity and affiliation to the Kurogane Enterprises.

"You have the wallet?" asked the man named Kido, holding out his hand.

"Yes" replied Miyana, handing the wallet to him. She suddenly felt two hands on her shoulder and turned her head to see the other man, Taka, right behind her.

"Get into the car miss" he ordered quietly.

"Excuse me?" asked Miyana incredulously. She suddenly felt herself being pushed into the car and she fell onto the seat before the door slammed behind her. Slightly frightened, she desperately tried to open the door.

"Don't do that" muttered Kido. "It's childproofed. You won't be able to get out."

"We're not going to harm you" replied Taka. "Nashiya-san just wants to see you and make sure you didn't pry through his wallet."

"Get me out of here!" she shrieked angrily. "I can't stand cars!"

"We're in for a long ride…" muttered Kido as Taka started the car, causing Miyana to shriek again.

* * *

"Alright Kaoru, it's your turn to sing!" replied Enishi with a devilish grin, pushing her up onto the stage. "Belt your heart out!"

"You're just trying to embarrass me!" exclaimed Kaoru in mock anger, hands on her hips. "But I have the upper hand! You see, after I sing, I'll make you sing!"

"Go ahead and try" challenged Enishi, waving as he stepped off the stage, leaving her alone as she held the microphone. She smiled as he waved to her from the audience, but inside, she still felt…depressed…

She closed her eyes as the audience buzzed with the noise of people chattering rather than waiting for her to sing.

_Tonight was really fun…Enishi and I came in, laughed as some of the worst singers stepped onto the stage, exchanged comments, flirted a bit…but in the end…I still feel slightly hollow…_

_I still feel the pain of losing Kenshin…_

_But he's married to Tomoe-san…and she's truly wonderful! I always thought Enishi was just praising her, but she truly is a wonderful person…and I'm glad that Kenshin fell in love with her, an amazing woman who deserves an amazing man…_

_So maybe…now…I should say goodbye…_

_I can leave Kenshin behind now…and perhaps move on with Enishi…_

Kaoru opened her eyes, shiny with the thinnest sheen of tears as she grasped the microphone in her hands and began to sing.

"Of all the things I've believed in,  
I just want to get it over with,  
tears form behind my eyes,  
but I do not cry,  
counting the days that pass me by."

The tumult of the audience suddenly seemed to dim as Kaoru's beautiful voice wafted to their ears, capturing their attention as they heard the sorrowful cadences come from the beautiful girl's mouth. Enishi stared up at Kaoru as the spotlight softly shone on her, making her seem like an angel. Kaoru, unaware that the audience was enraptured by her performance, continued to sing, pouring out her soul to the unknown sea of people in front of her.

"I've been searchin' deep down in my soul;  
words that I'm hearin' are starting to get old,  
it feels like I'm starting all over again,  
The last three years were just pretend,  
and I said...

Goodbye to you,  
goodbye to everything that I knew,  
You were the one I loved,  
the one thing that I tried to hold onto.

I still get lost in your eyes,  
and it seems that I can't live a day without you,  
closing my eyes,  
and you chase my thoughts away,  
to a place where I am blinded by the light,  
but it's not right.

Goodbye to you,  
goodbye to everything that I knew,  
You were the one I loved,  
the one thing that I tried to hold on to.

Ooh whoa...  
and it hurts to want everything and nothing at the same time,  
I want what's yours and I want what's mine,  
I want you,  
but I'm not giving in this time.

Goodbye to you,  
goodbye to everything that I knew,  
You were the one I loved,  
the one thing that I tried to hold onto  
Goodbye to you, (goodbye to you)  
goodbye to everything I thought I knew, (goodbye to you)  
You were the one I loved,  
the one thing that I tried to hold onto,  
(the one thing that i tried to hold onto)  
the one thing that I tried to hold onto.  
(the one thing that i tried to hold onto)

Oh, oh whoa, oh, oh (one thing that i tried to hold onto)  
and when the stars fall I will lie awake,  
you're my shooting star."

Kaoru sighed softly as she finished the song.

_Kenshin…I'll always remember you as my first love…but it's time for me to let go…_

Her ears suddenly roared with the applause of the audience, and she blushed furiously as she stepped off the stage hurriedly, receiving praises left and right.

"Kaoru, you sounded amazing, as always!" replied Enishi with a grin as she sat down at their table, still quite red in the face.

"Mou, Enishi! But it's your turn now!" she answered devilishly, causing Enishi's eyes to widen in shock. She laughed at his surprised expression, not noticing that Shinomori Aoshi was standing in the entrance, watching the two of them, and had been there since the beginning of her song. And she didn't notice when he turned around abruptly and walked away from the karaoke bar.

* * *

Aoshi stood leaning against his motorcycle and sighed quietly. He had been ready to storm in their date, to argue with Kaoru and Enishi, but she was standing on the stage by the time he had arrived, and then she had suddenly started singing.

Aoshi had heard her sing before; she had been singing in his car, some cute song about love and how sweet it was or something like that. And he had to admit, she really had a rich, velvety voice that really captured one's attention.

But tonight, he had been floored. He had been unable to speak, unable to move, unable to tear his gaze away from the angel that stood on that stage.

Because for the first time, he saw something he had never seen before in that cheerful girl's eyes.

He had seen that light sheen of tears. He had seen the emotions swirling in her big, sapphire blue eyes. He had seen her pour her heart out to the audience.

_And I realized that she had truly experienced heartbreak…even with Yukishiro there, even with all her friends, she still felt the pain…_

_Then why does she think that a new love will end her pain?_

_I still don't understand her…love caused her pain, how will it bring her joy in the future?

* * *

_

"Remind me never to drive in a car with you again" muttered Taka unhappily, opening the door for Miyana. "You seemed so composed at the bus stop, and then you suddenly started shrieking!"

"Well, that was more your fault" muttered Miyana. "Neither of you informed me beforehand that you were going to force me to enter a car!"

"Don't worry" replied Kido with a grin. "Nashiya-san just wanted to thank you in person for returning his wallet."

"And here we are!" declared Taka. "Have a seat, and Nashiya-san will enter shortly!"

Taka and Kido quickly exited, leaving Miyana all alone in the expansive office. She tapped her foot slightly and then wandered around the office aimlessly.

_Wow…he's a messy person…strange how the President of an enterprise can be so disorganized…_

Her eyes gazed at the desk, halting as they glanced at a certain picture. She lifted it up and stared at it with a scrutinizing gaze.

_The woman…she looks so familiar…_

Suddenly, she heard a door open from the side. She set the picture down hurriedly and watched as Nashiya Hidehiko entered the office with a polite smile.

"Ah, you're the girl I bumped into in front of the restaurant" he replied with a smile. "Well, I would just like to thank you for returning my wallet to me."

"You're welcome Nashiya-san" she said politely, bowing slightly. Nashiya-san stared at her for awhile, but when Miyana set her gaze on him he immediately smiled and motioned for her to sit down.

"You seem like an honest girl" murmured Hidehiko. "Do you currently have a job?"

"Excuse me sir?" asked Miyana in confusion, unsure why he was asking her that question.

"Are you currently employed?" rephrased Hidehiko.

"Yes, I have a job at a bookstore" replied Miyana softly. "Is there any particular reason why you wish to know?"

"Would you like to accept a job here as a secretary?" asked Hidehiko with a smile.

Miyana stared at him in shock, causing him to chuckle.

"Miss, I appreciate your honesty" replied Hidehiko. "Someone else could have run off with my wallet. But you kindly called and made sure that someone would pick it up. Kido and Taka told me that until you saw identification you didn't give them that wallet. In addition…well, you can see I'm quite disorganized…"

"Yes, I can" answered Miyana, an eyebrow arched in amusement as she stared at the great mess in front of her eyes.

"So, how about trying it out for a week?" asked Hidehiko. "You can quit if you don't enjoy the job."

"Umm…I'll try…" answered Miyana softly, shrugging her shoulders. Hidehiko burst into a broad grin.

"Alright then!" he finished enthusiastically. "Next time, I'll ask you to fill out some forms. However, I really have to hurry and attend a business appointment, so I can have Kido and Taka drive you back home."

"That won't be necessary!" replied Miyana hurriedly. "Thank you for all your kindness Nashiya-san, but I really must head home."

"So I'll see you tomorrow!" exclaimed Hidehiko.

Miyana bowed once again and quickly exited the room and the building, not stopping at all, before leaning against a streetlight with a sigh.

_Seriously…this day cannot get any weirder…_

Her gaze suddenly drifted across the street to a small karaoke bar, where she saw Aoshi leaning against a motorcycle, lost in thought. She immediately headed towards him, ready to give him a piece of her mind.

_He better be prepared…I'm going to lash into him for leaving me at that restaurant! And he probably ruined Kaoru and Enishi's date…

* * *

_

"Enishi, do I need to force you onto that stage?" asked Kaoru with a laugh. "It's your turn now!"

"You have got to be kidding me" muttered Enishi, pushing up his shades. "Kaoru, I am not going to sing, not even if you gave me a 10,000 yen!"

"You made me sing, so I reserve the right to make you sing!" insisted Kaoru with a huge grin as she saw Enishi's glare even behind his shades.

"Excuse me, but may I interrupt your argument?"

Enishi and Kaoru turned around to see a tall, dark haired woman standing behind them, a smile on her face as she handed Kaoru a small card in her outstretched hand. Kaoru curiously accepted the card and stared at it before looking up at the woman in excitement.

"You're…you're an agent?" asked Kaoru with an excited smile. "You want to scout me?"

"That's right!" replied the woman happily. "Let me tell you, that was an amazing performance Miss…"

"Kaoru. Kamiya Kaoru" replied Kaoru excitedly.

"Miss Kamiya, if it is possible, please report tomorrow at the address on the card and I'd love to discuss a future as a singer with you" answered the woman. "When you reach the desk, ask for Yamato Natsu."

"Oh, thank you Yamoto-san!" replied Kaoru happily, bowing politely as the woman waved and left. Kaoru shrieked happily and hugged Enishi tightly in excitement, not realizing that she had caught Enishi by surprise.

"Enishi, this is my dream come true!" exclaimed Kaoru ecstatically. "I'm in a euphoria! I've always wanted to be a singer, and now I have a chance!"

"Kaoru, you had to have seen this coming!" answered Enishi. "Have you never noticed your talent before? Or did Megumi and Sanosuke's awful singing cloud your mind?"

Kaoru and Enishi laughed, but were suddenly interrupted by Enishi's cell phone ringing. Enishi silently cursed as he picked up the phone.

_Someone just had to call and ruin the night…_

"Hello?" he asked brusquely.

"Enishi! Come back to the Shirobeko! Shura saw Sae at the airport and called me! She said Sae's going to check up on us as a surprise, and Sae's going to be furious if she doesn't see you there!"

"You idiot rooster, calm down! I'll be there in a few minutes!" muttered Enishi angrily, furious that THIS had to happen on the night of his date with Kaoru.

"Hurry up! I don't want to deal with a crazed Sae alone!"

Enishi hung up with a sigh, rolling his eyes at the stupidity of the person who was supposed to be his friend.

"Wow, you better hurry and reach the Shirobeko before Sae finds out that you were on a date!" exclaimed Kaoru with a laugh.

"How did you know that she was coming today?" asked Enishi curiously.

"Sanosuke's really loud when he panics" replied Kaoru simply.

"I'm so sorry about today Kaoru" Enishi began to apologize, but Kaoru held up her hand, interrupting him.

"Don't say sorry Enishi!" she said with a smile. "It's not your fault! But you have to leave at once! Don't worry about me, I have plenty of money to take a taxi home! Just go before Sae decides to skewer you!"

"We'll finish this some other day" muttered Enishi, slipping his phone into his pocket and rushing out of the karaoke bar. "Thanks Kaoru, and see you later!"

"See you!" called out Kaoru. As Enishi disappeared into the crowd, she sighed in relief and slipped back down into her seat.

_Truth be told…I like Enishi…but I'm not sure if I will ever fall in love with him…it just doesn't seem right…

* * *

_

"Shinomori-san, so nice of you to leave me at that restaurant all alone."

Aoshi almost cringed as he heard the sarcasm in Miyana's voice behind him. He turned around and met her cold eyes.

"It seemed like a good plan, didn't it?" asked Aoshi.

"Awful Shinomori-san. The word you're looking for is awful" answered Miyana dryly. "What did you tell Enishi-san and Kamiya-san?"

"Nothing, to your pleasure, I'm sure" muttered Aoshi angrily. Miyana stared at him in surprise.

"Nothing?" asked Miyana softly. "Are you lying to me?"

"I'm not" replied Aoshi with a grim face. "I just couldn't say anything to her after she had started singing…"

"Why?"

Aoshi glanced at Miyana. "Are you extremely curious today? Is that why you have been asking me all these questions?" he inquired with the raise of an eyebrow. Miyana reddened slightly and shook her head before staring down at the ground.

"She was singing about heartbreak" answered Aoshi. "She was saying goodbye to someone she loved, someone who had escaped her grasp…and it sounded like she truly meant it…sounded like she had experienced that pain…"

"Well, neither of us knows Kamiya-san that well..." murmured Miyana. "Perhaps there was someone she deeply loved in the past, but due to some circumstance, they were unable to remain together…"

"Love had pained her, yet she continues to praise love…" muttered Aoshi thoughtfully. "I don't get how she can still believe in love even when it brought her pain!"

"Love isn't just about pain Shinomori-san" replied Miyana softly. "Sometimes love does bring pain, but other times, it can bring the greatest of joys, the greatest of emotions…it's not meant to hurt. That just…happens. But I have to agree with Kamiya-san – love is an amazing emotion that brings life and joy and happiness to the heart."

"If love can do that, then why do you never smile?" asked Aoshi.

Miyana glanced up at him in surprise, but couldn't say a word.

"I'm right, aren't I? For you, love brought nothing but pain. And thanks to that pain, you've been scarred for life. You lost that cheerful demeanor Sagara remembers and instead remain gloomy and caught up in the past! Admit it Miyana, I'm right!"

Miyana closed her eyes, trying to process Aoshi's words in her mind.

_I'm scarred for life?_

_Has love truly brought me nothing but pain?_

_My first love didn't notice me, my second one made my life a living hell…but does that truly mean that in the future, I will suffer this pain?_

_Am I really always caught up in the past?_

_Have I truly become a shell of who I was before?_

_Is Shinomori-san really right?_

_NO! I refuse to accept that answer! I know I'll fall in love again…it might take some time, but I have faith in love!_

Miyana opened her eyes and turned to Aoshi.

"Are you going to admit that I'm right about love?" asked Aoshi, leaning against the motorcycle in triumph.

"No" she whispered softly. "You're not right about love…but you're right about me being a hypocrite. I really have been behaving strangely these days…but I truly do believe that love does not lead to pain and betrayal and angst…"

She turned around and began to walk away, leaving Aoshi confused. However, he quickly regained himself and called out after her.

"So you're never going to admit I'm right, are you?"

Miyana stopped in her tracks and turned around, causing Aoshi's eyes to widen in surprise.

She was smiling.

"I'm not going to admit that" answered Miyana with a small laugh. "But I will thank you for opening my eyes…"

She gave a small wave to a shocked Aoshi and walked away into the darkness, leaving Aoshi alone leaning against his motorcycle to contemplate exactly what had happened.

* * *

"Nashiya-san, your visitors are in the conference room" called out Yuki in a bored tone. "I'll be taking leave now, but I'll lock up behind me!"

Hidehiko waited until he heard Yuki's clicking pumps enter the elevator and diminish before he made his way to the conference room. He shut the door behind him and swiftly hit the switch, engulfing the room with a bright light. He grinned at the figures that were seated at the table and immediately called out to the one seated at the head.

"Shishio-sama, welcome to Tokyo!"

Shishio grinned as he smoked his pipe vigorously. "Well Hidehiko, you can't really expect me to be welcome to Tokyo, can you? After all the threats I've sent to this city, I must be the most hated individual in this city."

Hidehiko laughed and made his way over to the end of the table. "Why Shishio-sama, I suppose you're right! But it's the thought that counts! Yumi-san, I must say, you're looking beautiful as always. Kamatari-san and Soujirou-san, how have you two been doing?"

"Oh, well, I'm feeling wonderful, as always!" chirped Kamatari, who had had the time of his life as Yumi had fumed at him for wearing her kimono. She had been especially furious when Kamatari insisted that it looked better on him than her.

"Tokyo is a great place!" chimed in Soujirou. "I can't believe how many places there are to eat at!"

"Alright, that's enough from you two" muttered Shishio with a chuckle. "Anyways Hidehiko, do you still have a copy?"

"Of course! I believe all the copies are still available, save for the one" answered Hidehiko with a shrug.

"So we'll proceed with the plans outlined on the copies" said Shishio with a grin. "Same process, same intent…although maybe a few minor changes."

"Sounds like a plan" agreed Hidehiko. "However, I should inform you about something interesting I discovered today."

"And what is that?" asked Shishio curiously.

"Taka and Kido brought in a girl to the office today. Very interesting girl. She looked almost like Midori. Does that trigger your interest?" asked Hidehiko with a wink.

"Midori…the woman who caused all these burns on my body…who stole my heir…" mused Shishio. "That certainly triggers my interest indeed…keep your tabs on this girl…"

"Will do Shishio-sama" replied Hidehiko with a bow. "It seems that everything is going according to your plans. You must be pleased."

"Of course I am" answered Shishio with a grin. "My desire to take over Japan is finally beginning to come true."

* * *

Kaoru slipped out of the noisy karaoke bar, slipping on her jacket to ensure warmth. She sighed softly as she scanned the streets only to see that there were no taxis whatsoever.

_Great…I have to go walking back home…which wouldn't be so bad except that this karaoke bar is really far away from my apartment! What do I do?_

"Need a ride Kamiya?"

Kaoru started slightly as a baritone voice interrupted her thoughts. She whirled around, and suddenly a frown adorned her face.

"Shinomori-san, what are you doing here?" asked Kaoru curiously. "Were you spying on Enishi and I or something?"

"No" lied Aoshi, rolling his eyes to make his lie sound more believable. "I was talking to Miyana."

"Oh!" Kaoru's interest suddenly peaked.

_Megumi keeps saying that Aoshi and Miyana could make a great couple…and Aoshi seems to like Miyana…maybe there is hope for the two of them!_

"So, are you two becoming good friends?" asked Kaoru with a smile.

"Wipe that smile off your face Kamiya. There is nothing romantic between Miyana and I" muttered Aoshi, rolling his eyes yet again, this time in exasperation. "Why would I ever want to fall in love?"

"You are so infuriating sometimes!" yelled Kaoru angrily, turning around. "I can't believe I even try to talk to you!"

She suddenly felt a yank on her ponytail and she turned around to glare at Aoshi only to have a helmet thrown in her face. She quickly raised her hands and caught it deftly in her hands before looking up at Aoshi with a mixture of anger and curiosity.

"Put it on Kamiya" said Aoshi firmly. "Or need I remind you how I had to force you into accepting a ride last time?"

Kaoru reddened with both embarrassment and anger. "You didn't need to pick me up! You could've just asked instead of ordering and I would have come along rather than refusing your ride!"

"I'm asking now!" exclaimed Aoshi, a touch of annoyance in his voice.

"You're still ordering!" insisted Kaoru.

"That is it!" muttered Aoshi, grabbing Kaoru by the wrist, yanking the helmet out of her hands, and firmly placing her helmet on her head before pulling her behind him and forcing her onto the seat. Before she could even think about getting off, he immediately started the motorcycle and began to ride out on the roads into the night.

"Shinomori Aoshi, that was completely uncalled for!" yelled Kaoru angrily, finally starting to think straight.

"This is payback for that awful tea you tried to force down my throat!" retorted Aoshi, turning his head slightly, therefore not paying attention to the truck that was heading their way. Kaoru however, stared ahead of them in shock as the truck came hurtling towards them with amazing speed.

"AOSHI! LOOK AHEAD OF YOU!"

Kaoru shrieked and tightly wrapped her arms around Aoshi in fear as he cursed and sharply dodged the truck, the side of his motorcycle almost grazing the ground before he steered it upright again. However, Kaoru, whose eyes were firmly shut, still had her arms wrapped around Aoshi's waist. And Aoshi was very aware of that.

_Kamiya…she seems so frightened…_

"Kamiya?" he asked curiously, hoping that she would open her eyes. She slowly opened them, her frightened blue orbs striking a chord in Aoshi's heart.

"Yes?" she whispered, her voice shaky.

"We're out of danger now, but your arms are still wrapped around me" answered Aoshi with a smirk. Kaoru blushed and immediately pulled her hands to her side.

_I was so scared…the motorcycle almost tipped over! But when I wrapped my arms around me, he seemed so firm…secure…_

_What the hell am I thinking! This is Shinomori Aoshi for Kami's sakes!_

The motorcycle suddenly came to a stop and Kaoru turned her head to see her apartment building in front of them. She stepped off the motorcycle and gently pulled the helmet off her head before handing it to Aoshi. Aoshi latched the helmet to the back of the motorcycle and was about to ride away when he suddenly felt Kaoru's hand on his shoulder. He turned to meet her gaze inquisitively.

"Shinomori-san…thank you for keeping your cool during that whole truck incident…and I'm sorry that I clutched on to your waist that hard" apologized Kaoru sheepishly, removing her hand from her shoulder.

"That's alright Kamiya. Any man would find that experience enjoyable" replied Aoshi with a smirk, revving his motorcycle and riding away before Kaoru could say a word. Her eyes burned with fury and she scooped a handful of rocks before screaming out after Aoshi and attempting to hit him with the rocks.

"SHINOMORI AOSHI! FORGET ABOUT THAT APOLOGY AND THANK YOU! I AM GOING TO GET REVENGE ON YOU FOR THAT!"

* * *

**And so we end on that note...**

**Anyways, the part about Miyana hating fast moving vehicles was just for fun. I wanted to break Miyana's composure, and it seemed like such a great way to do it. She has a good irrational fear for fast moving vehicles, and I thought it was amusing...**

**Nashiya Hidehiko will actually factor into the story in more ways than one...he is related to someone...there is a reason why Miyana thought the woman in the picture on his desk looked so familiar...**

**As for Midori...well, you do find out later! However, she's the reason for the severe burns on Shishio's body!**

**The next chapter is a BONUS CHAPTER! It's about Tokio, Tomoe, and Yumi, and how each of them fell in love with the man they are with today! I'm excited about it because all three of them have hadno major role whatsoever, and I've never really explored all three of them at once!**

**Anyways, I hoped you enjoyed it! Please review, and once again, I'm so sorry for such a long delay!**


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